House, govt struggle to define TNI's duty

House, govt struggle to define TNI's duty

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House committee deliberating the military bill and the
government struggled in vain on Wednesday to define the nature
and duty of the Indonesian Military (TNI) as a group of women
staged a protest against the draft.

The government-sponsored bill defines the TNI by spelling out
the acronym as Tentara National Indonesia, while House factions
want to add substance to the definition.

Legislator Effendi Choirie of the National Awakening Party
(PKB) criticized the bill for not clearly defining the TNI. He
said clear definitions were important in the deliberation of any
bill.

Effendi suggested the TNI be defined as an armed force that
served as the main component of state defense.

While most House factions support the PKB's position, the
government -- represented by acting coordinating minister for
political and security affairs Hari Sabarno -- rejected the
proposal, arguing that the use of the words "armed force" would
worry the public.

Effendi, however, countered the objection by emphasizing that
it was the behavior of the armed force as an institution that
worried the public, not the use of the words "armed force."

During the leadership of former president Soeharto, the TNI --
which was then called the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) --
dominated the country's political life, thanks to its dual-
function role.

Because of its poor human rights record, the military decided
to change its name following the fall of Soeharto in May 1998.

The House and the government also struggled to define military
service.

Nadier Muhammad of the United Development Party (PPP)
suggested the word "dedication" in the bill be replaced with
"assignment."

"The word assignment would underline duty. Therefore, TNI
soldiers would carry out their duties responsibly," Nadier said.

However, Sabarno rejected the notion, saying that soldiers
were taught to dedicate their lives to the nation.

"They are not taught to earn money. Military service is a
period of dedication for soldiers," Hari stressed.

TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, who came late to the
hearing, said the TNI had been trying to improve its
professionalism. "However, the professionalism of the TNI is
different from the professionalism of a boxer or tennis player,"
he said.

Endriartono said the TNI's professionalism was dependent upon
the synergy of its capability and its duties.

As the government and House factions failed to reach
agreements on the nature of the TNI and military service, the
House decided to adjourn the hearing.

During the deliberation on Tuesday, the PKB faction proposed
the inclusion of four principles -- professionalism, civil
supremacy, humanitarianism and transparency -- in considerations
of the bill.

Endriartono and some factions, however, rejected the proposal,
saying that it was uncommon to include operative clauses in
considerations.

Meanwhile, a group of women staged a peaceful demonstration at
the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday to protest the
deliberation of the bill.

Arguing that the current draft would only sustain the
military's political role, the women, most of whom were
accompanied by their children, demanded that the deliberation be
suspended pending more public input.

"Lawmakers must suspend the deliberation. We, the public, want
to be involved in the drafting of the bill," said activist Yeni
Rosa Damayanti during the protest.

They also distributed a statement demanding that active
military personnel be barred from occupying civilian posts --
except for some posts in the defense ministry -- and that the TNI
be placed under the Ministry of Defense.