Description
WACANA Journal No. 17/2007 | The Land of Soldiers: Exploring Political Economi of Indonesian Military
The various steps of remilitarization in Indonesia that have disrupted or slowed the process of democratization and striving for a political and economic system in which civilian rule is supreme do not represent a unique phenomenon. Indonesia’s experience is not an isolated case. Some nations in Latin America and in southern Europe, specifically Spain, have also experienced a pattern of strong resistance from the military in the face of the erosion of their power. These obstacles include hindering the exploration and uncovering of dark military histories featuring a human rights violations; strongly opposing any cutbacks in military expenditures and any decrease in weaponry; and more importantly, blocking the structural reorganization of the military, as well as any talk of placing the military under civil control. Not only recording the slowed process of democratization in the contemporary Indonesia, the writings in this journal also tries to take part in the development of the Indonesian civil society’s awareness to avoid them plunging Indonesia in the same historical mistakes, which is to let Indonesia fell under the control of militarism. National political reform in 1998 –which is brought down military regime of President Soeharto, have also exluded military roles in political arena, justified in a new amendment of the constitution. However, their unveiling roles in economic sector still persist. Public opinion pressures and law enforcements so far almost failed to totally abandon their engagement in both public and private companies and coorporations under the rethorics of ‘guarding national integrity’. Huge money involving in their business. From this point of view, Indonesia is actually still a country of a powerful army, a land of soldiers.
This edition of WACANA compiling works of some prominent writers and analysts of Indonesian military roles in socio-political economy of Indonesia, warning us not to repeat the sad history in the past which is colored with bloods and tears.
(GEORGE JUNUS ADITJONDRO, Introduction: A Turning Point in ‘Reformasi’?, Exposing Remilitarization Efforts in Indonesia, p.3-17)
Contens:
- Introduction | A Turning Point in ‘Reformasi’?, Exposing Remilitarization Efforts in Indonesia | George Junus Aditjondro | p.3-17
- Analysis | The Military and Authoritarian Government | Ivan A. Hadar | p.19-51
- Analysis | The Military’s Role in the Indonesia Political System Until the Fall of Soeharto Regime | S. Indro Tjahjono | p.53-65
- Case Study | Acehnese Marijuana and Indonesian Soldiers during the Acehnese Wars 1889-2003 | Otto Syamsuddin Ishak | p.67-89
- Case Study | From Gaharu to an HIV/AIDS Time Boms Ready to Expode: The Political Economy of Military Business in Papua | George Junus Aditjondro | p.91-122
- Case Study | Military Business in the Maluku Conflict Area | Ichsan Malik | p.123-131
- Case Study | Guns, Ammunition and the Stench of Blood. Unravelling Military Involvement in the Ambon Conflict | Coen Husain Pontoh | p.133-149
- Case Study | Ebony, Security Post Business, Arms Trade, and Protecting Big Capital: The Political Economy of Military Business in Eastern Sulawesi | George Junus Aditjondro | p.151-194
- Case Study | On Militarism in Indonesia: The Campaign Against Re-Militarization in Indonesia | Mashudi Noorsalim and Curie Maharani Savitri | p.195-213
- Book Review | A Human Right Court for the Generals | Eko Prasetyo | p.215-248
- References | List of acronyms | p. 249-255
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