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