TNI to downgrade territorial affairs post
TNI to downgrade territorial affairs post
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In a move designed to go some way toward relinquishing its
social and political roles, the Indonesian Military (TNI) will
downgrade its territorial affairs post, which is currently
directly subordinate to the TNI chief, into an assistant's post
under the chief of general affairs.
The downgrading will be carried out following the appointment
of the TNI Chief of Territorial Affairs Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo as
deputy speaker of the People Consultative Assembly (MPR) for the
TNI/National Police faction, replacing Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno, now
minister of home affairs.
"There will be no official who can hold two posts at the same
time. As Mas Agus has been assigned to the Assembly, we are
currently reorganizing our institution. That's the best way for
the TNI," TNI chief Adm. Widodo AS said on Monday after attending
Agus's inauguration as Assembly deputy speaker at the Assembly
building.
Asked when the downgrade would be carried out, Widodo said,
"the process will take time and there will also be several other
steps involved.
The planned downgrade of the territorial affairs post would
serve as a step forward for the TNI in relinquishing its social
and political functions, and moving toward a greater focus on
defense.
The TNI's territorial affairs post was created when the TNI
undertook internal reforms in 1998, when the social and political
affairs post was eliminated.
The post's incumbent, Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was the first chief of
territorial affairs before being replaced by Agus in 1999.
The TNI's social and political roles, and later its
territorial roles, have been criticized by many as having
hampered the development of democracy because they allow the
military to become deeply involved in civilian affairs.
Agus himself floated the idea of handing over the TNI's
territorial functions to the National Police and provincial
administrations.
Nevertheless, Agus suggested that the transfer of such
territorial functions should be conducted gradually, starting
from the lowest level of the TNI territorial structure at the
district and regency levels.
Agus said on Monday that the territorial affairs post would be
downgraded to an assistant's post under the TNI chief of general
affairs.
"This territorial role, which constitutes one of our defense
roles, used to be subordinate to the general affairs' post. So
there will be no problem with the implementation of the
territorial role should my post be eliminated," Agus, a 1970
graduate of the Armed Forces Academy, said.
He declined, however, to reveal the time frame set by the TNI
for the implementation of the plan, saying that "the TNI
headquarters in Cilangkap (East Jakarta) is working on it."