Religious leaders tell TNI to set aside own interests
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Religious leaders have asked the Indonesian Military (TNI) to sacrifice its interests -- at least for the next five years -- for the sake of the country's democratic development.
Representatives of Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, as well as those of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), the Bishops Council of Indonesia (KWI), the Indonesian Confucianism Community (Matakin), the Buddhist Conference of the Mighty Sangha Indonesia (KASI) and the Prajaniti Hindu Indonesia, said on Wednesday the TNI's commitment to democracy would be put to a test in the upcoming election runoff and the controversy over the military bill.
Speaking after a meeting with TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto at his office in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif told the press: "In the meeting we challenged the TNI chief whether he could maintain security and political stability by staying neutral in the election runoff."
Endriartono, Syafii said, promised to keep the military impartial and to punish any soldier who violated the order.
Also present at the meeting were: NU acting chairman Masdar F. Mas'udi, PGI chairman Natan Setiabudi, PGI secretary-general Sigit Pramuji, Matakin chairman Budi S. Tanuwibowo, KASI secretary-general Prajnavira Mahathera and Prajaniti Hindu Indonesia chairman I.B. Made Jayamartha.
"The Al-Zaytun incident has cast doubt among the public over the military's neutrality in the presidential election," Syafii said, referring to the illegal use of 21 military vehicles on July 5 to carry thousands of civilians to a polling station at Al-Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Indramayu, West Java.
The incident caused a furor, as the "voters" had been mobilized with instructions to cast a ballot for Gen. (ret) Wiranto, who was running under the Golkar Party flag.
Wiranto was eliminated in the first round, finishing third after front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The religious leaders also called on the TNI to exercise restraint in responding to public outcry against the military bill for its controversial articles, which are thought to be an attempt to revive the military's political role.
Military leaders, including Endriartono, have defended the contents of the bill.
The House of Representatives and the government are scheduled to begin the deliberation of the bill on Thursday, although Megawati and House speaker Akbar Tandjung have hinted at preventing a rush deliberation and allowing the new House to finish the job.
"I believe the current lawmakers do not have to endorse the bill, pending the inauguration of new legislators and the president," Syafii said.
Earlier, the House commission overseeing the bill's deliberation had pledged to pass it into law before their term ended on Sept. 30.
The meeting with Endriartono was part of the religious leaders' campaign, Baseline Framework for National Unity, or KKM. The religious leaders have also held a KKM dialog with Susilo and Megawati.
The KKM campaign spells out a program to eradicate all forms of corruption and discrimination, eliminate poverty and uphold national unity and security toward the development of a democratic Indonesia.