Regeneration and reform

The latest reshuffle in the top leadership of the Indonesian Military (TNI) has been widely billed as part of a long-awaited rejuvenation. On Thursday, President Megawati Soekarnoputri installed Vice Marshall Chappy Hakim and Vice Admiral Bernard Kent Sondakh as the Air Force and Navy chiefs respectively.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto will also be replaced soon as part of this regeneration process. Megawati has also picked a successor for Admiral Widodo A.S. as the TNI chief, but she has to inform the House of Representatives before making the change in the number one TNI post.

This round of reshuffling in the top TNI leadership has been late in coming -- certainly by the TNI's own standards -- so that it has given rise to speculation about political infighting within the military, particularly the Army. Given the nation's strong preoccupation with political reform, the main question that is being asked today is whether this latest change of guard within the TNI will help or hinder the reform process within the military.

So far, we have not heard any credible explanation about how these changes are tied to the TNI's commitment to reform. It is no wonder that the speculation is continuing, with some suggesting that the military is now divided between those who want to push for speedier reform and those who want to hold back.

The delay in the reshuffle itself, albeit a small one, has in no way reduced our admiration for the TNI in adhering to its long-held tradition of regularly reshuffling its top leadership so as to ensure the emergence of new generations of leaders.

Whatever view one has about the military leadership, past and present, no one can deny that the TNI remains the only institution in this country that has established a solid system that guarantees the emergence of new leaders to effectively safeguard its traditions. If only the civilian side, particularly the political parties, was as efficiently and effectively organized, this country would probably not be in such a mess today.

The TNI system of grooming and picking its leaders is certainly more transparent, and it is based in a large part, but not wholly, on merit. All of the military top brass are selected by the Wanjakti (the internal military promotions board), which takes into account the track records and seniority of the candidates.

This system virtually precludes the likelihood of unwarranted direct interference from people outside the TNI.

It is, however, not a foolproof system. The recent appointment of a number of senior officers with dubious track records points to loopholes that need plugging. It suggests that loyalty to superiors or officers of influence often counts for more than seniority and merit when it comes to promotion.

Constitutionally, the only TNI job that is considered a political appointment is that of its chief. This is the constitutional prerogative of the President. She is required to inform the House of Representatives of her selection, but does not require its approval. But even the President is expected to pick the TNI chief on the basis of nominations put before her by Wanjakti.

The TNI's freedom to run its own affairs, including grooming its future leaders, with little outside interference, is one of the most visible benefits of reform. It certainly bodes well for the campaign to turn the TNI into a professional force. During the Soeharto regime prior to 1998, the military was heavily politicized and loyalty to the supreme leader was the chief criterion in promotion decisions, beating meritocracy and seniority hands down.

Heaving reaped the benefits of reform, question marks now hang over the TNI's own commitment to reform. Various decisions and actions taken by the TNI of late have sent disturbing signals that our military is no longer in step with the goals of political reform and of promoting civil society in Indonesia.

The appointment of officers with links to the TNI's dark past, its poor handling of the death of a Papuan separatist leader, its uncooperative attitude toward investigations of human rights violations, and its refusal to dismantle the Army's awesome territorial structure are just some of the issues that have raised doubts about the TNI's reform credentials.

Naturally, TNI watchers will be looking for some signals from this latest leadership reshuffle about where the military is heading. Given the endless speculation about the direction of the TNI's development, it would help if its new leaders were to come forward and give reassurances to the public of their commitment to reform. The TNI must show that the goal of promoting a civil society will be served by the latest change of guard.