Indonesia’s parliament has passed revisions to the country’s military law, which critics argue will result in the armed forces having a greater role in civilian life. According to the new legislation, military members will be allowed to hold positions in 14 different branches of government, encompassing disaster mitigation and the attorney general’s office. Previously, military personnel could serve in only 10 different government agencies and had to resign or retire from military service to hold civilian posts in other government institutions.

This revised law is supported by Indonesia’s president and former military general, Prabowo Subianto, who served under the late dictator Suharto, during whose leadership Indonesian troops were responsible for the deaths of over one million people from 1965 to 1966. Additionally, Suharto’s ‘New Order’ regime facilitated the genocide in East Timor.

Defending the law’s revisions, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin reasoned that “geopolitical changes and global military technology” necessitated the military’s transformation to confront conventional and non-conventional conflicts. He stated that the government would not disappoint Indonesians in terms of maintaining sovereignty. The government also emphasized that certain officers, such as those with the Attorney’s General Office, will be required to resign from the military before assuming civilian positions.

However, many are concerned that the enhanced presence of the military in daily life will revert Indonesia to the repressive Suharto era. Civil society organizations worry that increased military involvement might result in abuses of power, human rights violations, and a lack of accountability. Protesters, including students and other concerned groups, demonstrated outside parliament during the bill’s passage. The military was ultimately called in to assist in the removal of protesters, after the police were unable to do so.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-passes-bill-allowing-military-in-more-govt-roles/a-71980395?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf