Generals want ABRI to retain political role

JAKARTA (JP): Two retired army generals agree on the need for the Armed Forces (ABRI) to ease its grip on politics but stress that the military should be allowed to retain a political role.

Solichin G.P., a retired lieutenant general who served many years in the State Secretariat until 1993, dismissed suggestions by some scholars that some of the problems facing the country have roots in the dominant role of the military in the government's day to day affairs.

Sayidiman Suryohadiprodjo, a retired lieutenant general and military strategist, also defended ABRI's "dual function" policy, stressing that the military has the discipline necessary to help the nation deal with its increasing challenges.

The role of ABRI in politics and government was one of the topics at a seminar yesterday to review ways of promoting greater economic equality and justice in Indonesia.

The one-day seminar was organized by the Foundation for Information and Study (Yayasan Lintas Informasi dan Pengkajian), of which Solichin is a patron.

Solichin admitted that part of the blame lies in the tangled bureaucracy which is hampering coordination efforts.

However he also criticized members of the bureaucracy who seek personal gain from their positions as one of the biggest obstacles to achieving greater equality.

"Decisions are not made pragmatically, but more on the basis of emotion and personal greed," he said.

Stressing that the military's political role should be retained, he concurred with the view that ABRI should make way for civilians to assume some of the important government posts.

Solichin, who served for a long time as President Soeharto's secretary overseeing the implementation of the government's development programs, said blaming either ABRI or civilians would not solve the country's problems.

Sayidiman, former governor of the National Defense Institute, said the military presence in politics is still necessary in Indonesia to promote greater national discipline.

He agreed that the armed forces should try to make its role less conspicuous because a show of force "is no longer acceptable to the more educated members of our public."

He said ABRI could not be confined to the barracks because they had a share in the independence fight in 1945.

"It's not power but responsibility," Sayidiman explained as the motivation for ABRI's continued role in politics.

He said however that the military officers should only be appointed to political positions and not administrative ones in the government.

The job of administration, he added, should be left to professional civilians.

"It would be unwise to show the world that the military still holds many positions ...(as if) Indonesia is still in a state of emergency," he said.

Sayidiman argued strongly for an active ABRI role in politics given that national stability is still vulnerable at a time when there is a huge disparity in wealth in the population.

He was referring specifically to disparity between the rich and the poor in Indonesia, and also between the underdeveloped eastern provinces and the developed west.

Sayidiman said the military is not blind to accusations of corruption and collusion involving its own members.

"We too are hurt," he said.

Legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the United Development Party (PPP), who has been arguing for less of a military role in government, told the seminar yesterday that the nation had been "brainwashed" into accepting the military's superiority and civilian's inferiority for the last 25 years.

This, he said, has prevented the recruitment of civilians to occupy important political positions. (anr)