The TNI at 56
Today 56 years ago, president Sukarno issued a decree to set up an official armed organization as an integer component of the then-infant Republic of Indonesia. This organization, through various stages, later developed into what is now known as the Tentara National Indonesia (TNI) -- the national armed forces of Indonesia. At the time the decree was issued, various armed organizations already existed in the Indonesian community in Sumatra, Java, Bali and South Sulawesi, responding to the Proclamation of Independence on Aug. 17, 1945. To forge these various organizations -- formed sometimes on the basis of ideological underpinnings or as extensions of existing political parties -- into a cohesive national army was not an easy process. It occasionally gave rise to political crises.
Throughout its history, the TNI experienced various stages of readjustment and reorganization in order to find its rightful position in a changing society that is also searching for its right political format. If today the TNI, in commemorating its 56th anniversary, is displaying such an impressive show it can look back on the fact that since Oct. 5 last year it has responded to a historical challenge in the correct manner. The TNI, particularly the Army, resisted president Abdurrahman Wahid's undemocratic intention to issue an emergency decree in order to preserve his power. However, lest the TNI should indulge in too much self-praise, the fact must also be admitted that in the past it committed a number of offenses that included some serious violations of human rights and of the 1945 Constitution.
As former minister of defense Juwono Sudarsono pointed out recently, the fundamental problem the TNI is facing is that only 30 percent of total military expenditure is covered by the state budget. The rest is derived from off-state budget activities, particularly through the myriad foundations related to the three services and the various units within those services. Obviously, this is not a healthy situation. If, as Prof. Sudarsono suggested, a 10-year plan were to be prepared in order to gradually increase the state budget allocation for the TNI while simultaneously decreasing the off-budget funding, that would be to assume, as he admitted, a constant robust growth of gross national product (GNP) -- a proposition that cannot be guaranteed.
Another crucial challenge faced by the TNI is to formulate its role and mission in a democratic Indonesia. Various internal discussions apparently have been held within the TNI, and Lt. Gen. Agus Wijaya, the TNI chief of staff for territorial affairs, has presented this reform program to the public on various occasions. However, as was recently suggested in a seminar on security cooperation between Indonesia and Britain in Jakarta, perhaps a nationwide consultation could be organized in seeking ideas and proposals on how to transform the TNI into an integer part of a democratic Republic of Indonesia. It was pointed out that Britain had gone through the same process when its armed forces were being reorganized. It was a process of mutual benefit since the public too was educated on the characteristics and political needs of its military organization.
In short, the TNI, as it celebrates its 56th anniversary on Friday, should be aware that it cannot rest on its laurels but has to tackle the challenges it faces as indicated above in an urgent manner. Failure to do this and to satisfy the expectations of the public -- that its national military organization should be a disciplined force upholding democratic principles -- would unavoidably cause crises that would affect the sociopolitical stability of this sprawling archipelagic state.