TNI and political parties

TNI and political parties

Lately the Indonesian Military (TNI) has come under the
spotlight again, with articles appearing in several dailies about
its role. Most comments have been negative, some positive and
others neutral. The many articles about TNI indicate that TNI is
still considered important and a force to be reckoned with.

The TNI could become a strong ally or a powerful enemy of
political organizations. Civilians don't know what to do with
TNI. What they know is that TNI must not enter the political
arena again, because that would take away or minimize their
chances of dominating the political arena.

An American professor, Lev, clearly warned Indonesians not to
let the TNI play politics again, because it has guns. What a
strange way of thinking!

Media Indonesia of Nov. 15, 2000 published an article from the
Institute of National Sciences (LIPI), which has conducted
research on the relation between TNI and political parties.
Surprisingly the conclusion was that many political parties want
to be close to TNI. So far the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has the closest relation with TNI. It
could be noted that PDI Perjuangan has the biggest number of
retired generals as members.

The parties most critical of TNI, according to LIPI, are
members of the "axis force", consisting mostly of Islamic
parties. This is easy to understand because during the New Order
era they suffered most from government policy.

The TNI has admitted it made mistakes, but it is unfair to
blame all the mistakes and violations on TNI. There is a saying
of "The man behind the gun". The TNI is only a gun and the man
behind the gun is of course the past government, or the New
Order.

The New Order era is now over and the reform era has stepped
in, and with it new visions and concepts have taken over the
political, economic and legal fields. So there is a new man
behind the gun and the gun can only do what the new man wants the
gun to do.

But one thing puzzles me concerning the attitude of civilians.
TNI has withdrawn from the political arena. When civilians had
the chance to get rid of TNI, strategic positions in the new
Cabinet were filled with military people, e.g. the minister of
home affairs, minister of transportation and telecommunications
and minister of industry and trade. For me this is nothing but a
confession of the weakness on the part of the civilians.

I sincerely hope that one day the political leaders will stop
thinking of their own parties' benefit, and start to think of the
fate of our nation as a whole. There is no need to be suspicious
of TNI, because TNI, in its dedication to the country and nation,
will only do what is best for the nation.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta