Govt to revive National Defense Council

Govt to revive National Defense Council

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government is planning to revive the National Defense Council
(DKN) in order to strengthen the decision-making process on
various conflicts in the country.

Speaking to the media after a Cabinet meeting here on
Thursday, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the council would
concentrate on internal defense.

"This is not a new agency, but a revised form of the current
National Defense Board (Wantanas), which will focus on internal
defense," Susilo said.

He stressed that the revived council was not meant to be
another defense council with unlimited authority in ensuring
peace in the country, but would serve as an advisory body on
various conflicts.

"The current Wantanas concentrates on both internal and
external security, while the security law covers only domestic
defense," Susilo said.

Wantanas was established in 2000 under former president
Abdurrahman Wahid, with authority to monitor conflicts across the
country.

The board was established to provide as much information as
possible for the president before the head of state chose the
policies or measures for dealing with conflicts.

Indonesia has been plagued by a variety of conflicts and
sectarian clashes in Aceh, Maluku, Central Sulawesi and Papua
provinces.

The establishment of Wantanas was reminiscent of a similar
body that existed during the leadership of former president
Soeharto. It had a wide-ranging authority, including the scrutiny
of ordinary people in the name of security.

Susilo said that although the new council would focus on
domestic security, it would merely assist the president in the
decision-making process regarding security issues.

"We need to improve the performance of the board in helping
the president to deal with the internal threat to the country,"
the minister said.

Susilo said that the president and vice president would serve
as the head and deputy head of the planned security council.

"The members will all be drawn from the executive, in
accordance with the security law," he added.

The revival of the council would be further discussed by the
Cabinet before the proposal could be submitted to the House of
Representatives.

Earlier, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said that he supported
the government's plan to revive the council as it was needed to
help resolve prolonged conflicts in the country.