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.