On civilian-military dichotomy

On civilian-military dichotomy

From Suara Karya

Some circles are still questioning whether former military
leaders can become democratic statesmen, which in my view is
unreasonable. All good men strive to make adjustments to their
environments and positions to achieve the best in life.

It is narrow-minded to judge against someone because of their
military background and it is exaggerating to say military
institutions somehow control democracy.

Certain intellectuals with overseas educations have criticized
military candidates and popularized the term "militarism",
without fully understanding its meaning. Former servicemen will
not automatically be militaristic and authoritarian in their
leadership.

History has shown various cases in which militarism was
applied by civilian leaders. The important aspect is therefore
the effective control of the chief executive's performance and
the responsiveness of the national leader to public demands.

Fortunately, though, many circles are capable of more logical
reasoning without being trapped in the civilian-military
dichotomy. They assume that the leaders they choose should be
able to induce public confidence and promote the welfare of all
citizens.

DIAN SILVI AMBARUKMI
Depok, West Java