Stronger role sought in Indonesian defense

Stronger role sought in Indonesian defense

Satya Arinanto, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia

In a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) last
month, the Ministry of Defense's role was questioned by
legislators from Commission I. The problems raised by
legislators, among others, dealt with the purchase of four
fighter jets and two helicopters from Russia, which did not
involve the Ministry of Defense.

The purchases instead reportedly involved the Ministry of
Industry and Trade and the National Logistics Agency (Bulog).
Reflecting on the case, legislators said the defense ministry's
role should be increased. They are now bent on setting up a
special committee to examine the purchase of the Sukhoi aircraft.

The ministry recently published a white paper on Indonesia:
Defending the Fatherland in Entering the 21st Century, which
states it was published because of changing world politics and
globalization that increases competition between nations. This
leads to the tight competition of influence, either in global,
regional or national levels.

The ministry highlights some strategic issues, such as state
reform and defense; the global, regional, and national context;
possible threats and the strategic defense interest; the
strategic policy in implementing state defense: and budget
support. By publishing this book, the ministry aims to involve
all parties, especially citizens, in implementing the state
defense policies in defending the unitary state of Indonesia.

After the era of past anxieties over the West and Eastern
blocks, particularly regarding the development of military power
and hegemony, current fears concern terrorism, piracy, hijacking,
smuggling, immigration violations, illegal fishing and other
cross-border crimes.

From the legal perspective, the publishing of this book was
aimed to draft a politics of law as a basis to construct the
strategy of the defense ministry's policy. From this point of
view, the purpose of this book is ideal. But from the viewpoint
of its implementation, especially from the case of not involving
the ministry in the purchase of its military needs, the purpose
of publishing this book wasn't successful.

The book also highlights that the urgent strategic security
interests cannot be separated from permanent strategic security
interests, given the significant increase in security issues. The
main purpose of this combination is to maintain Indonesia's
national integrity. This point of view is in line with the policy
to fight the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

The book also states that the use of security force is among
others directed to face the threat and interference to national
security. The TNI will use "military operations other than war"
to face threats such as terrorism and separatist movements such
as in Aceh, radical groups, and communal conflicts.

Especially regarding the Aceh case, the book stated that the
government would try to solve the issue based on the Cessation of
Hostility Agreement (COHA) signed on Dec. 9 between the
government and the GAM representatives. But it already stated
that should the agreement fail to be implemented, the government
would take other measure to maintain state sovereignty, the
unitary state and the safety of the Aceh people.

It remains to be clear how far the defense ministry was really
involved in the eventual decision to declare a military emergency
and the "integrated operation" in Aceh, even though the
possibility to that end was already suggested in the White Paper.

In the future, we hope the Ministry of Defense will have a
significant role in implementing its policy as written in the
white paper. This is part of the steps that need to be taken to
develop a strong defense system, which not only involves society,
but most importantly, the ministry itself.