TNI needs to follow the times

TNI needs to follow the times

The reputation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) has been
tarnished by accusations of human rights violations in several
troubled areas and during mass demonstrations in the capital.
Part of the accusations are true and part exaggerated by the
efforts of politicians to weaken TNI and prevent it from making a
political comeback. We all know how big the role of TNI was
during the New Order and how deep the politicians hatred of TNI
was.

In spite of frequent and repeated statements from the TNI
leadership that TNI, as part of the reform movement, has made a
180-degree turnaround and has expressed its sincere desire to
leave the political arena and concentrate on becoming a
professional institution, political suspicion remains and is
difficult to erase.

However, people forget that now the rivalry among the
politicians themselves is a bigger danger than TNI, and if the
political parties continue fighting among themselves for personal
gain the whole nation will suffer, including TNI. Will TNI stand
there as a passive spectator, doing nothing and letting the unity
of Indonesia fall into shambles, not as a result of foreign
enemies but the country's own leaders? I am afraid to give an
answer to that question. The bickering among the political
leaders is becoming worse, and they do not stop at bickering
alone, but spend money to create trouble and instigate fights
among people who previously lived in peace and harmony with each
other. How many people have died because of this?

President Abdurrahman Wahid announced the troublemakers were
certain members of the House of Representatives and People's
Consultative Assembly. This allegation is supported by the
minister of defense, the prominent politician Matori Abdul Djalil
and a very learned man by the name of Prof. Dr. Thamrin Amal
Tamagoa.

But the attorney general is quite cautious in this case,
saying he asked the President's permission to investigate the
legislators based on accusations of corruption, not of political
crimes.

To prevent TNI's comeback to the political scene is easy. The
political parties should stop fighting each other and concentrate
on the well-being of the nation. The civilians must conduct some
serious introspection, and, according to TNI territorial chief
Gen. Agus Wijaya, TNI should no longer rely on its historic
achievements alone, but should take into consideration the
changing times and the reform movement of which TNI is part.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta