Armed Forces must go back to basics

Armed Forces must go back to basics

Too many tragic incidents have occurred in Indonesia during
the past few years. These have taken place in Tanjung Priok,
Lampung, Dili, Irian Jaya and Medan. In 1996 there was the July
27 incident. The year 1998 was particularly bloody: the May 12
shootings of Trisakti University students; the May riots in
Jakarta and Surakarta; the murder of those allegedly practicing
witchcraft in East Java; the Semanggi incident on Nov. 12; the
Ketapang violence in Jakarta and the Kupang riots. In January
1999, vicious incidents have prevailed in Lhokseumawe, Aceh.

These bloody incidents have shown that under Soeharto's and
Habibie's regimes, the Armed Forces (ABRI) has acted repressively
and savagely, in the manner of occupation forces, against their
fellow Indonesians. ABRI has been used simply as an armed and
political instrument to safeguard and defend the power of the
ruling regime and not as a defense/security instrument to protect
the Indonesian people and state.

Allow me to appeal therefore, that in the next five years
(after the general session of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) resulting from the 1999 general election), ABRI must return
to basics, namely serving solely as a defense and security
instrument to defend the country while abstaining from political
activities.

The dual role of the Armed Forces must be thoroughly
reformed. The representatives of ABRI should have seats in the
MPR as representatives of social groups only. ABRI must have a
minimum number of representatives in the House of People's
Representatives (DPR): 10 will suffice.

The number of Armed Forces officers assuming ministerial
posts must also be limited. The positions of attorney general,
minister of justice and home ministers must be assumed by
civilians.

Armed Forces officers must relinquish all civilian posts
including those of governors, district heads, mayors,
secretaries-general, directors general, service/office,
subdistrict and village heads.

Take the capital city of Jakarta as an example. The governor
and the municipality heads are all Armed Forces officers. In
addition, some 400 ABRI officers assume civilian positions in the
administrations. They even assume the positions of heads of the
highway and traffic, cleanliness and fire brigade services.

During this five year transitional period, the Armed Forces
must gradually scrap its nondefense and nonsecurity functions.

Military tribunals must be scrapped so that there is no
distinction between civilian and military courts. The police must
return to their civilian nature and be placed directly under the
president or the home minister.

The curriculum of the Armed Forces Academy must be totally
reformed. As soon as possible ABRI must draw up a new doctrine to
delineate its new functions. All laws related to the functions of
ABRI must be reviewed. In addition, all ABRI members must be
disciplined and their mental attitude reformed.

ABRI must not think that it is the most powerful institution
in this country and can therefore do anything it pleases. It must
never consider itself superior to civilian citizens. The Armed
Forces must be 100 percent neutral in the 1999 general election.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta