New bill to require youths to do military service

New bill to require youths to do military service

Tiarma Siboro and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

Claiming that the number of military personnel remains far from
enough to guard the country's vast territory, the Ministry of
Defense is drafting a bill that would require youths to perform
military service.

The ministry's director general for defense strategy, Maj.
Gen. Sudrajat, said that under the civilian participatory defense
concept, the youths would be recruited and trained to support the
Army's strike force.

He said the lack of military ground weaponry was the reason
why the ministry was not focusing on maritime defense, despite
the fact that Indonesia is an archipelagic country.

"We (the ministry) are drafting the legislation in compliance
with Law No. 3/2002 on national defense, that mandates us to
regulate the use of the Indonesian Military (TNI) as the main
component of the state's defense, and the use of reserves and
support units," Sudrajat told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

Another aim of the program is to boost national character
building and "implant nationalism" among youths, according to the
Sudrajat.

Based on the proposal, which is being discussed by the
ministry's officials, the draftees -- high school graduates of
both sexes aged 17 years or above -- would be obliged to undergo
basic military training for two months.

Fellow ASEAN member countries Singapore and Vietnam have
adopted a similar defense concept. Malaysia has just introduced
compulsory military service for youths.

With its population exceeding 215 million, Indonesia has
around 400,000 military personnel, most of whom are in the Army.
The country also has 17,000 islands.

Sudrajat, however, admitted that the proposal would need
further discussion, especially regarding funding.

"I'm not sure whether the state could implement such a program
in the next five or 10 years, and, of course, the military has
been capable of overcoming the threats this country has faced
thus far," he said.

Indonesia imposed mandatory military service in the 1960s when
the country fought the Dutch over West Papua.

At that time, Indonesia spent huge sums to buy weaponry from
Russia, including tanks, MiG jet fighters, and trucks. However,
it continued to lack military personnel.

While admitting the compulsory military service for youths was
not uncommon, military expert Ikrar Nusa Bakti warned against the
use of civilian forces to fight against domestic threats.

"The bill must clearly ban the deployment of civilian forces
to combat rebels. The program must be designed to counter foreign
threats," he told the Post on Sunday.

Ikrar, a researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
(LIPI), expressed fears that the poor discipline of Indonesian
people would pose dangers if such a program were to be
implemented.

"I'm afraid civilians who possess military skills would only
commit crimes or do destructive things when faced with economic
hardship," he said.

He warned that even regular soldiers regularly breached
discipline, including deserting from the military to join
separatist groups in Aceh and Papua.

What Defense Law No. 3/2002 says about military service for
civilians:

Article 7 (2): In case of military threat, the national defense
system gives the Indonesian Military (TNI) the main role, with
assistance from reserve and support units.

Article 9 (1): Every citizen has the right and is obliged to
defend the country.
Article 9 (2): Citizens' participation in national defense shall
be arranged through:

a. civic classes

b. basic compulsory military training

c. voluntary or mandatory drafting into the TNI

d. pursuing military careers