Fostering intellectuals ABRI's biggest challenge
By Ahmed Kurnia Soeriawidjaja
JAKARTA (JP): According to military observer Dr. Amir Santoso, human resources is a major issue the military must anticipate.
Former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret.) Rudini cautions that ABRI's future challenges will be quite formidable as the situation will be much different from today.
"This is due to political demand and greater public awareness of democracy," Rudini told The Jakarta Post.
This, added Amir, is inevitable as Indonesians become more educated.
"It means there will be demands for better educated ABRI officers who are involved in social, political and economic activities. They must be intellectuals who have the ability to envision the future," Amir, an expert in political science at the University of Indonesia, said.
"This is an absolute requirement for ABRI if they want to maintain their role in the social, political and economic sectors as stipulated by the dwifungsi doctrine," insisted Amir.
He warned that if ABRI failed to anticipate its human resources problem, there will be a shortage of capable leaders.
Despite his concern, Amir noted a number of middle-ranking Army officers who can be categorized as intellectuals. He mentioned Col. Subianto Prabowo, Col. S. Bambang Yudhoyono, Col. Slamet Supriyadi and Col. Yourda Adnan.
"They are examples of what I would call intellectual soldiers. They are the military's future leaders," said Amir.
Col. Prabowo, 43, is the most talked about of the rising stars. Prabowo, son of Indonesia's economic guru Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, is married to Siti Hediati, a daughter of President Soeharto. A 1972 graduate of the National Military Academy, he is now deputy commander of the Kopassus special forces. It is only a matter of time before he commands Kopassus.
His ability was demonstrated as a major assigned in East Timor. In December 1978, he captured the president and minister of defense of Fretilin, Lobato.
Col. Yudhoyono, 46, is another rising star. Now the military commander of Yogyakarta, he is noted for his flexibility and friendliness.
A 1973 graduate of the Military Academy, Yudhoyono has a master's degree in management from Webster University in the U.S. as well as military experience in the U.S. Yudhoyono was formerly the assistant for operations at Jakarta military headquarters. He was considered successful in maintaining security during last year's APEC meetings.
Col. Yourda Adnan and Col. Slamet Supriyadi are the military commanders of the Banda Aceh and Solo (Surakarta) respectively.
Other officers who will likely hold top positions in ABRI are Col. Syamsul Ma'arif (military commander of Surabaya), Col. Agus Wirahadikusumah (military commander of Bali), Col. Mahidin Simbolon (military commander of East Timor), and Col. Gaffar Rachman (assistant for operations for the Jakarta military). They all graduated from the National Military Academy in the early 1970s and have all received military training abroad. Most also have master's degrees. Col. Agus Wirahadikusumah, for example, has a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University.
However, only a number of the 1970s' graduates have reached the rank of general. Among them are Brig. Gen. Subagyo HS, commander of Kopassus, and Brig. Gen. Djoko Subroto, chief of staff of the Military Command IV/Diponegoro. Both graduated in 1970. Brig. Gen. Agus Wijaya, now deputy assistant for general planning at the Armed Forces headquarters, graduated in 1971.