House, govt spar over TNI regional role

House, govt spar over TNI regional role

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The debate over the military's territorial role looks to dominate
the deliberation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) bill, which
commenced on Thursday.

The United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening
Party (PKB) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) factions in the
House of Representatives oppose the presence of military
institutions down to the district level, citing the trauma of the
New Order regime.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the
largest faction in the House, did not specifically demand the
liquidation of regional military commands. It did suggest,
however, the military focus its territorial operations in border
areas.

The Golkar Party, the second largest faction in the House, was
undecided but talked tough about the bill, which keeps what it
called the obsolete doctrine of unity between the military and
the people intact.

According to the bill, among the TNI's underlying jobs are
conducting territorial missions to help the government improve
the state's defenses; organizing military training for civilians;
and upholding the doctrine of unity between the military and the
people.

The bill requires the military to maintain a presence in
society, including through its regional military commands.

During the New Order, the military was one of the main
organizations that helped keep former president Soeharto in
office for over three decades. Soeharto was forced to step down
in 1998 in the wake of the reform movement.

Human rights activists and military experts consulted by the
House underscored the controversial contents of the bill,
including the military's territorial duties, which they said
could pave the way for a revival of a military presence in
sociopolitical affairs.

They also suggested the military fall under the supervision of
the defense ministry in order to build a more professional armed
forces.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Hari
Sabarno, who represented the government in the deliberation on
Thursday, insisted the regional military commands would be
maintained for defense purposes only.

Regional military commands fall under the Army, which
maintains over 200,000 troops.

"I just told the TNI chief that should the regional military
commands be dissolved, we might need to deploy a battalion of
troops to each regency," Hari said.

The minister, however, said the government was ready to
discuss possible changes to the duties of the military commands.

"We are ready to discuss it in future deliberations. The most
important thing is that the commands are still needed to deal
with defense affairs," he said.

Also present at the opening hearing on Thursday were the
secretary-general of the Ministry of Defense, Vice Marshal
Suprihadi, and TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto.

Imam Addaruqutni of the Reform faction and Yasril Ananta
Baharuddin of Golkar questioned the presence of Endriartono at
the hearing.

Imam said the TNI chief could not represent the government in
the law-making process.

"The TNI commander is not part of the government, so his
presence here is unconstitutional," he said.