TNI's territorial function ample snag to reform
TNI's territorial function ample snag to reform
JAKARTA (JP): Despite the military's withdrawal from politics,
the Army could still pose a very substantial obstacle to reform
due to its territorial organization which remains intact, a noted
Indonesianist said.
Harold Crouch, an Australian observer of Indonesia, said
despite the reform movement that culminated in the downfall of
former president Soeharto in May 1998, the Army still retains a
formidable political presence through its territorial
organization.
"This territorial structure has given the Army a considerable
capacity to intervene in local politics under the guise of
maintaining stability," he said in his presentation paper on
Sunday at the end of a three-day seminar on democratic transition
in Asia.
He said that in the past, Soeharto used the military's
territorial network to manipulate civilian organizations and
repress potential opposition.
"As long as this capacity remains intact, the civilian
government will continue to be vulnerable to military pressures,"
he said.
Crouch, also an executive of the Sydney-based Center for Asia-
Pacific Studies, acknowledged that it would not be easy to
dismantle the regional military commands, military districts and
the presence of soldiers in villages and remote areas because
they were still seen as vital in maintaining order in disturbed
regions.
"Also, territorial appointments are popular among many
officers who regard them as providing opportunities for material
advancement," he said.
He said the National Police is still too small to take over
the Army's law-and-order functions and there was no guarantee
that the police would be less corrupt and more respectful of
human rights than the Army.
Crouch also said the military has abused ethnic, religious and
intergroup (SARA) conflicts to justify its sociopolitical role as
necessary in order to maintain social order and national unity.
"Certain elements within the military have been widely
believed to stir up social violence deliberately in order to
justify the military's political role and even prepare the ground
for a restoration of military power," he said.
On the other hand, he said, many generals continue to firmly
believe that civilian politicians are unable to deal effectively
with separatist movements and public dissent.
He said Indonesia must resolve its SARA conflicts and create a
professional police force to maintain its internal law, while the
professional military focuses on guarding against foreign
threats.
He said that with Abdurrahman Wahid's democratic election as
president, there are strong expectations to control the military
to maintain civilian supremacy.
Crouch noted that the government would have difficulty in
establishing its authority unless it could begin the process of
economic recovery, cope with periodic bouts of ethnic and
religious tension and deal with growing regional demands while
its international reputation will depend on how it handles an
independent East Timor.
"If the economy remains stagnant it seems inevitable that
social tensions will rise again and the nation will be threatened
by social breakdown and SARA tensions that have surfaced during
the last few years," he said.
Crouch predicted that in the next two or three years,
Indonesia would be facing a real test if the civilian government
fails to establish its authority.
"It is hoped that the fate of civilian rule in Pakistan will
serve as a warning to the new Indonesian government," he
remarked.
He suggested that Pakistani people seemed to have welcomed
their military's recent coup which relieved them of a corrupt
civilian regime.
"There is no reason to assume democracy in Indonesia must
follow the Pakistani path but it's better to learn from mistakes
of others than to suffer from the same mistakes oneself," he
said.
Later on the sidelines of the seminar, Crouch conceded that so
far there has been great progress shown by the military.
"I would never have imagined that certain words like civilian
supremacy would be mentioned by military leaders. Army chief Gen.
Tyasno Sudarto even said that TNI should return to the barracks,"
he told journalists.
Business
Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief of Territorial Affairs Lt.
Gen. Agus Widjojo in his presentation also noted that the
military's gradual repositioning out of the daily political
spectrum but was raised objection to the term "back to barracks".
He said the use of such terminology "could be perceived as
having a strong correlation to the condition of making the issue
political with its ramifications of putting the military out of
the national political decision making process at all costs,
disregarding the situation at hand...seen through the national
interest."
He pointed out that TNI's contribution to the empowerment of
the nation is through gradual withdrawal from day-to-day
political affairs.
However, Agus added that TNI will "always be ready to assist
the police and civil authority in non-military activities in
accordance with authorities laid down by related regulations and
laws."
Turning his attention to the much reproached involvement of
TNI in various businesses, Agus stressed that it must first be
clearly defined the wide spectrum which includes extra-structural
cooperatives in various units to "personal business interests of
retired, some privileged serving, officers."
He explained that these enterprises date all the way back to
the 1950s as a means for a commander to improve soldiers'
welfare.
"Until now the return on the capital of these enterprises are
commonly used for improvements to soldiers' housing, educational
scholarships and medical," Agus said.
He asserted that TNI is ready to respond "to the necessary
adjustments required" for these businesses.
"Privatization would be one alternative if TNI is not
authorized to run business enterprise cooperatives," Agus
remarked while adding that people should clearly define
initiative taken by TNI and individual officers.(jun/rms)