Fika Nurul Ulya, Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform is pushing for a complete end to the Indonesian Military's (TNI) multi-functional practices in civil affairs in accordance with the mandate of reformasi and the principle of civilian supremacy.
This follows the ongoing multi-functional practices of the TNI and its continued expansion into the civilian sphere, starting from the placement of active TNI soldiers in civilian institutions related to domestic security matters to managing non-defence matters.
"The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform is pushing for a complete end to the TNI's multi-functional practices in civilian affairs, in accordance with the mandate of reformasi and the principle of civilian supremacy", said Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) research coordinator Annisa Yudha at a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday October 4.
She believes this practice contradicts the spirit of reformasi – the political reform process that began with the resignation of former president Suharto in 1998. It not only undermines civil governance but also undermines the professionalism of the TNI itself.
"Aside from this, the TNI's multifunctional role opens up room for abuse of authority which is directly related to repressive actions against the public", she explained.
The coalition also highlighted the many criminal cases involving soldiers that remain unresolved because they are being processed through military courts.
According to Yudha, the military justice system that is in place today has proven to be a loophole that creates space for impunity.
Hearings take place behind closed doors, fail to adhere to the principles of a fair trial and are dominated by the military. This, she continued, makes it difficult for civilian victims to obtain justice.
"This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that Law 31/1997 on Military Justice has not been revised, even though TAP MPR [People's Consultative Assembly Decree] Number 7/2000 and Article 65 paragraph (2) of the TNI Law mandate that TNI soldiers be tried through general courts in cases of committing general crimes", she explained.
"As long as judges, prosecutors and defendants all come from military institutions, impunity will continue to grow, and it will be impossible to expect a fair and equitable trial", she added.
Therefore, the coalition is also pushing for revisions to Law Number 31/1997 to ensure that all TNI soldiers who commit general crimes are processed through general courts.
Then, they are asking the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) to reaffirm the security sector reform agenda in policy and practice.
"[We] urge the TNI Commander to return the military institution to its primary duty of maintaining national defence, rather than dealing with matters outside its constitutional mandate", she stressed.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Koalisi Sipil Desak Hentikan Total Multifungsi TNI di Ranah Sipil".]
