Jakarta – The Minister of Defense, Juwono Sudarsono, estimates that the integration of the TNI (armed forces) headquarters into the department of defense – in accordance with the mandate of the Law on the TNI – will be implemented in within the next three years.

The statement was made by Sudarsono last week during a joint discussion with journalists at the defense department building. Both parties are now in the process of mapping out the process, particularly in relation to efforts to integrate the doctrines from the three wings of the armed forces. Despite this however, Sudarsono admitted that to date there is still a type of psychological block with regard to efforts to uphold civil supremacy.

According to Sudarsono, the integration of the TNI headquarters into the department of defense must also be accompanied by a similar process for the headquarters of the national police force and the department of home affairs. “In 1999 I submitted [a proposal] to Gus Dur (President Abdurrahman Wahid), [saying] that if indeed [he] wants to create a more democratic order in formal legal terms, let’s develop the national police force headquarters under the department of home affairs and TNI headquarters under the department of defense”, he said.

Sudarsono however regretted that the promises of reform with regard to civil supremacy were not carried through by Gus Dur. During a government cabinet meeting at the time, the chief of police and the chief of the TNI had sat down together to discuss the matter with the department of defense and the department of home affairs. (dwa)

[Translated by James Balowski.]