Politics and the military

The Indonesian military (TNI) commander Admiral Widodo made an honest admission in parliament: Changing the (Indonesian) military culture is difficult. It is difficult to achieve even though a new paradigm has emerged and a new concept has been coined: a redefinition, repositioning and reorganization of the TNI.

The difficulties are easy to understand, but not to tolerate. They are understandable because the exercise of power has become second nature to the TNI. It has become like a culture, a doctrine. The military's power has been institutionalized and internalized over a span of decades, and given legitimacy through the dwifungsi (dual function) concept. Imagine the consequences if an institution that is armed, controls superior logistics, is in possession of trained personnel and is well organized, is also given political powers and a legitimacy that springs from its history.

It must be said that a civilian government had better be able to exercise control over the military. To exercise control, however, does not mean to be in command, because this would mean that the military would once again become an instrument of the government -- the error we made in the past and which our reform movement is now trying to correct.

Governments can be replaced every five years through general elections. The military, however, will remain. They are no government instrument. Their political bearing follows that of the state. Governments can change and must change, for the sake of renewal through general elections. The state, however, remains unchanged.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta