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International Forum >> The Democracy Forum for East Asia>> Inaugural Conference
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SESSION III Civil-Military Relations Many East Asian countries, which have had to struggle against military-backed authoritarian regimes in the process of establishing democracy, are still wrestling with the legacy of extensive military involvement in politics. In some cases, formal military control over the government has been brought to an end, but the democratic government's ability to impose civilian control over the military is far from complete. For countries like Indonesia, where the transition to democracy is still in its infancy, the task of minimizing the political role of the military is a daunting one. However, the fact remains that Indonesia's success in establishing a democracy will depend on the gradual disengagement of the military from politics. In two of the more stable democracies in the region - Thailand and Korea - the popular rejection of military regimes was crucial in forcing the military to sever its ties to politics. Whether in the name of national security, the threat of communist insurgency or economic development, both countries have had long stretches of military rule initiated by the toppling of civilian governments. In both cases, rapid economic growth, the accompanying growth of civil society, and the strength of the middle class were instrumental in forcing the military to relinquish its control over the government. The strong commitment to democracy shown by the citizens of both these nations makes it highly unlikely that the military will seize power again in the foreseeable future. However, preventing an overt military coup is not enough. Neither is it sufficient to establish the democratic principle of civilian control. This principle must now be extended in order to ensure civilian control over defense budgets, personnel promotion, and defense policy formulation. With the fall of the military-backed Suharto regime in May 1998, Indonesia has also embarked upon a course to reduce the role of the military in politics. However, given the origins and traditions of Indonesia's military forces, this is an extremely difficult task. First, the military has never supported the principle of civilian authority, instead espousing the doctrine of the Dual Function, according to which it has a duty and a right to participate in political processes while operating in its military capacity at the same time. Second, the military also has vested interests in maintaining its civilian roles because of the material benefits accruing from appointment to civilian positions. Finally, the military is responsible not only for external but also for internal security, which makes it difficult to disentangle internal security from political interference. Compounding this problem is the territorial structure of Indonesia? army organization, which gives the army the capacity to intervene in local politics under the pretext of maintaining "stability". In Indonesia, the transition from authoritarian rule to a democratic political system will largely depend on the government's ability to establish civil-military relations conducive to the further development of democracy. The establishment of appropriate civil-military relations calls for a detailed plan of action. It is important to clarify the issues involved and to ensure that any action is taken in accordance with democratic principles. What methods will be employed to disengage the military from political affairs? To what extent should civilian authorities maintain control over the military? What are the processes for this control? An additional question that should be addressed concerns the issue of past infractions of human rights by the military. These are just a few of the numerous areas that need to be fully explored in forming new civil-military relations and a path towards greater democracy. |
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