TNI vows to start forging good relations with public

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)