Back in mid-January 2006, in a regular meeting between the Defense Ministry, the Commander of the Defense Force and the three service chiefs, agreement was reached that given the circumstances facing Indonesia’s location within “the Ring of Fire”, the Defense Force (TNI) would concentrate more on “military operations other than war” rather than focusing defense outlays beefing up its on strike forces. “Professionalism” of the military in the narrow sense was out of the question anyway since the “total defense and security” doctrine (sishankamrata) which Indonesia espoused since the revolutionary years of 1945-1950 obliged every Indonesian citizen to take part in the total defense and security of the country.
Now that the Indonesian Government is now simultaneously undertaking recovery and rehabilitation problems following the earthquake in Yogyakarta and Central Java of May 27 (6000 plus dead), the recent tsunami of July 17 in West and Central Java (550 plus dead), followed by the recent July 23 quake in Gorontalo in Sulawesi, the TNI is again gearing up to prepare its limited resources to deal with yet another natural disaster.
Continue reading "Every Disaster a Challenge" »
The Indonesian Parliament recently passed two landmark legislation . On July 11, the Aceh Governance Act was passed, after over 5 months of debate following the agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM) reached at Helsinki in August 2005. The agreement was brokered by the European Union and representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). All credit to Interior Minister Muhammad Maaruf and his staff who tirelessly defended that the any provisions of the MOU with GAM must pass the litmus test of Indonesian sovereignty as provided in the Indonesian Constitution of 1945.
GAM had insisted, for example, that the Indonesian Defense Force (TNI), should exclusively deal with “external defense” and that only the Indonesian Police be assigned to internal security duties. This demand runs counter to article 30 of the Indonesian constitution which stipulates that all Indonesian citizens are obliged to participate in the “total defense and security” of the nation. Hence, the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of the TNI (and even civilians) have an important role to play in supporting police in internal security affairs.
Continue reading "Matching Reality with the Law" »
For the past eighteen months, the most talked about issue in Indonesian policy circles has centered on governance as the key solution to Indonesia’s economic recovery. Governance__both in officialdom, as well as in corporate as well as in civic society__was the key to stabilizing the economy as macro economic indicators began to improve: inflation was well under control, the government’s reserves peaked at $43 billion, economic growth rate at a respectable if not spectacular 5,4%, and there are plans to repay ahead of schedule the IMF $2.4 billion__about half of Indonesia’s outstanding debt.
Governance was the issue at all levels__national, provincial, local (regency, district) because the key problem since May 1998 was that as Indonesia was becoming democratic (at least for those who can afford it and whose basics needs are met) everyone recognized that democracy had to be substantiated by efficacy. The ability of the government, of private corporations and of all civic groups to make things happen and get things done rested on this single ability to energize government, corporations and advocacy groups.
Continue reading "“Governance", “Delivery ” and National Recovery" »
