TNI vows to start forging good relations with public

JAKARTA (JP): Learning from past faults, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is attempting to improve its relationship with the civilian population to help build the nation, according to military officials.

"Under its ongoing reform program, TNI is establishing a proper, harmonious and cooperative partnership with the people in building the nation.

"The idea of military supremacy, civilian supremacy or military hegemony should not be raised," TNI's chief of territorial affairs, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said during a seminar on civilian-military relations at the University of Indonesia in Depok, Bogor, on Monday.

The seminar, organized by the university's school of social and political sciences, was officially opened by Minister of Defense and Security/TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto.

Wiranto was greeted by 12 student demonstrators demanding the military's political role be ended. He refused to meet with the protesters.

According to Susilo, many changes have been made in the military's organization, education and training programs and its involvement in politics in an attempt to repair its tarnished image.

"The reform in the military has been under way for a year and will continue until TNI is in a proper position to perform its main task of defense and security and it has a proper and harmonious partnership with the civilian population," he said.

He cited as one example of the reform the fact that ex- servicemen would no longer occupy civilian positions in the bureaucracy in an effort to phase out the military's dual function, allowing the military to concentrate on defense and security.

Another example of the reform is the separation of the National Police from the military, he said.

The three-star Army general said that international campaigns on human rights, democracy, the environment, the free market and the supremacy of law had influenced the military's reform and its relations with civilians.

Megawati, Amien

Asked whether the military could support Megawati, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), or Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), as the country's next president, Susilo said TNI would support them if they were elected democratically and met the criteria for the presidency.

The ruling Golkar Party named incumbent President B.J. Habibie as its presidential candidate and Wiranto as its vice presidential candidate.

Military observer Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo said during the seminar that TNI's major failure over the last two decades was its inability to maintain its neutrality.

"During the New Order era, especially after 1983, TNI was not able to have an opinion different from former president Soeharto's and his government, while the people did nothing to correct this," he said.

Sayidiman, the former chief of TNI's now-defunct sociopolitical division, hailed the military's reforms and the attempt to return the military to its original shape and role.

He also said a civilian-military partnership which would allow both sides to play a role in building the nation should be developed.

Meanwhile, Sudjati Djiwandono, a senior political observer, deplored the recent appearance of sectarianism, a condition which threatened the unity of the nation.

"The appearance of numerous sectarian political parties is a serious threat to the nation's unity... and this (sectarianism) could give the military the opportunity to intervene in politics," he said.

He said people should learn how to live harmoniously in order to prevent the military from interfering in practical politics.

Indria Samego, a military observer at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, said the military's presence in business should be reviewed in order to make TNI more professional in the future.

"Despite the ban (on the military doing business), the establishment of numerous foundations under the military is significant evidence that the military is doing business," he said.

A 1974 government regulation bars servicemen from participating in business but does not prohibit them from seeking additional income, he said.

He suggested the military's budget be increased to finance programs aimed at improving its professionalism in compensation for its absence from politics and business. (rms)