Reforming the military
Reforming the military
President Abdurrahman Wahid must find himself in a difficult
situation as he embarks on the second year of his presidency this
month. The task of bringing about the democratic reforms
entrusted to him by the People's Consultative Assembly at the
time of his election in October last year, are far from
accomplished, and nowhere can this be more true than in the field
of military reform.
There is of course no doubt in the minds of politicians and
experts alike that military reform is one of the urgent
necessities if reform in other fields is to be successful. In a
country where the military has for almost half a century played a
pivotal role in politics, any thought of establishing an
effective civil society might as well be abandoned unless the
military can be led to discard its by now ensconced role in
politics and accept a new one as a professional guardian of the
country's sovereignty.
On the need for such a transformation, everyone, with
exceptions in certain quarters of the military, is in principle
agreed. Events of the past week, though, have clearly brought the
President -- and the public -- to the realization that bringing
about such a change is a good deal easier said than done.
Reports circulating earlier this month had it that the
President was considering the replacement of Indonesian Military
(TNI) Commander Adm. Widodo and a number of top-ranking officers
within the Army hierarchy. The public's attention, though,
naturally went to the Army, which is traditionally the most
influential branch of the TNI. Within the military, the
President's moves were being awaited with no less concern.
In all this, special attention somehow went to Lt. Gen. Agus
Wirahadikusumah, a former commander of the Army's Strategic
Reserves Command (Kostrad). Agus is widely regarded to be a
reformist and who the President in the early months of his
presidency had ordered to be given a post in Jakarta "because his
vision makes him better suited for a post in Jakarta than in some
far out region." People speculated on what position he would be
given in the new setup and who would be given the post of chief
of staff of the Army.
To the conservative camp within the Army, however, Gen. Agus
was unacceptable in any top position. For one thing, he had
publicly exposed some alleged financial irregularities within
Kostrad. For another he was regarded too outspoken about matters
concerning the military and its position in Indonesian politics.
Tension rose to such a point that rumors of an impending military
coup d'etat once again began circulating in Jakarta.
As it turned out, the President wisely chose to take a
conciliatory position. Aside from keeping Adm. Widodo in his
position, he appointed Lt. Gen. Endriartono Sutarto as the Army's
chief of staff, replacing Gen. Tyasno Sudarto. Known as a
professional soldier with no political interests, the appointment
of Gen. Endriartono is obviously a compromise that could satisfy
both conservatives and reformists within the military. As for Lt.
Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah, the future looks uncertain although
his career may by no means be finished.
The choice of Endriartono, however, together with the flurry
that accompanied the selection process, is a clear indication
that reform of the military can only be accomplished through a
gradual process. Obviously, it is not easy for the military to
give up the privileged position it has enjoyed for so long.
Happen, however, it will because democratic reform is a necessity
that is dictated by the changing times. For the present, the
important thing is to prevent any rifts and conflicts within the
military, which would only endanger and destabilize the nation as
a whole.