ABRI's greatest challenge: Remaining the people's protector

Text by Lela E. Madjiah and photos by Mulkan Salmona

JAKARTA (JP): From what started as unarmed, untrained and often unruly bands of nationalist youths -- with the few exceptions of those who were trained by the Japanese military during their occupation of Indonesia -- the Indonesian military has developed into the most powerful and influential institution in the country to date.

Laboring hand-in-hand with the people, the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) has played a major role in building up the country and improving the people's welfare. In the process it has produced some of the nation's best sons and daughters, people whose reputation goes beyond national boundaries to reach the international community: Gen. (ret.) Soeharto, the President, the late Gen. Sudirman, Gen. (ret.) A.H. Nasution, whose guerrilla war strategy earned him international recognition, and Gen. (ret.) L.B. Moerdani, to name just a few.

The military has also gained an international reputation for its involvement in the UN Peace Keeping Forces in Cambodia and Bosnia, thus further boosting its international standing as a professional institution.

Today, as the nation is still engulfed in the euphoria of yesterday's celebrations of ABRI's 51st anniversary, we are once again reminded of its origins, its call of duty and its commitment to the people and the motherland. The past 51 years have not passed without incident -- episodes that have not only threatened to tarnish its image as a protector of the people but are also feared to have distanced it from the people.

The latest test case occurred on July 27 when riots erupted in Jakarta following the bloody takeover of the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party from ousted leader Megawati Soekarnoputeri by supporters of Soerjadi, who has the blessing of the government.

Such incidents once again put into question the manner in which the military handles protesters and its tendency to label anything that is critical of the government as communist.

The July 27 riots have also confirmed projections that the security threats that are likely to confront Indonesia in the future will come not from outside the country but from within. Even as the government strives to narrow the gap between the wealthy and the poor, open wider the door of democracy, uphold justice and allow greater public participation in governing the country, dissatisfaction among the people remains strong.

And as the President warned yesterday, "dissatisfaction can be positive if it becomes a source of motivation to work harder and improve all things that are not good. On the other hand, it can also become negative if it becomes an issue of jealousy to spread hatred..."

Public dissatisfaction vents itself in various forms, ranging from mild protests to violent riots. Soeharto, however, also stressed that it is the police who should handle domestic security problems. "Only if it is necessary should military units be involved," the president added.

It is against this background that Indonesia is ushering its military into its 52nd year of existence. It is the nation's hope that the military remains steadfast in its pledge to safeguard the people, to work for the welfare of the people, to protect the nation against foreign threats and to cooperate with the rest of the nation to create a better Indonesia.