Editorial: Renewing commitment

Mon, 10/06/2008 10:00 AM  |  Opinion

During Soeharto's 32-year rule, the Indonesian Military (TNI) played a predominant role in politics and internal security. The promotion of Army rising stars was closely watched by the media, business and political circles and foreign diplomats posted in Indonesia. After Soeharto's fall in 1998, the situation totally changed.

People tend to pay less attention to the TNI as the National Police (Polri) is now in charge of domestic security and public order. The TNI role in politics and domestic affairs is much reduced and instead it now concentrates on external defense matters, as the result of the country's reformasi.

When on Sunday the TNI celebrated its 63rd anniversary -- 10 years after Soeharto's fall -- the public paid little attention, among other reasons because this year's anniversary came at the same time as the celebratory end-of-Ramadan mood, with the majority of Indonesians celebrating Idul Fitri.

But despite its poor equipment and small budget -- the military of smaller neighboring countries are much better equipped compared to the TNI -- it is in the interests of the nation that we have a strong, efficient and professional military to defend against external threats and to help secure internal security.

The TNI, needs to be prepared for several important political events next year, including a two-tier general election and the scheduled handover of TNI businesses. Although the Police will play the crucial role in internal security, the military's back up is still needed.

The role of the TNI, as a reserve force for maintaining internal security after the police, will be very important in helping to ensure smooth and safe legislative elections, scheduled for next April and the presidential election which is scheduled for next July, especially when the total number of police personnel is disproportionate to the vast archipelagic nature of the country.

Meanwhile, with the military business handovers scheduled for the last quarter of next year, the TNI is also expected to implement a smooth and timely handover process as required by the 2004 law on the Indonesian Military. The law says that the planned military business takeovers must be completed within five years following the law being enacted -- in this case the deadline will be October 2009.

However, some doubts are expressed on the TNI's (and/or the government's) serious commitment to quit its involvement in business activities on time -- if not in time -- as there have been several instances where the TNI (and/or the government) has delayed and departed from the already agreed schedule of preparatory measures, prior to the eventual takeover of the military businesses.

The latest one was the TNI's (and/or the government's) failure to comply with its own schedule for completion of the policy framework needed to guide the government on these matters, by September 2008. There has been no explanation of the slow progress on this, nor the reasons for the delay.

Beside its physical presence to help secure next year's political steps forward, the TNI headquarters also needs to renew its commitment to remain impartial in observing all the political maneuvers surrounding the general elections, especially when a number of retired military generals have expressed their intention of joining the presidential race.

It is true that officially these retired generals no longer have structured relations with the TNI headquarters -- indicating that retired generals are on their own in all their political activities. But when it comes to ideology and concerns, especially on security issues, there are common perspectives among TNI officers, whether they are still active or already retired, for example on the importance of putting national unity above all other interests -- a shared principle that unifies them.

Perhaps the generals in charge of decision-making at the TNI headquarters should bear in mind that the nationalist card is not the monopoly of military personnel, as there are also civilian presidential candidates who are no less representative of such beliefs and attitudes.

The cause of national unity should also not become the prima causa for the TNI to hastily jump to the forefront whenever political crises turn violent or get out of control. There are constitutional prerequisites that need to be exercised before taking the necessary measures to regain control of security and order, including that a proper authority should declare any state of emergency to let the military enter the picture. The Constitution says that this authority rests on the President.

A lesson from neighboring Thailand's September 2006 military coup is the case in point. Two years after the coup, current political instability has stirred fears among the Thais of the possibility of another coup.

And we do not expect such an unforeseen experience to happen here. Let the democratic process and progress prevail. Emergency measures should only be the last resort that national leaders, including top military brass, should think of.

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