Politics and the military

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