Summer Course Day 3: BIN’s Paradox and The Security Sector Reform
Day 3 of summer course! Wow actually I’m very tired today, just imagine, all the session lasted from 9.30 to 15.30 with only two-three breaks. It’s pretty tiring despite the overall interesting substance.
Today there were three speakers invited, the first was Prof. Dr. Aleksius Jemadu, who delivered interesting lecture of “Good Governance ad the Role of Intelligence/BIN”. Prof. Aleks was participating in study group that intended to formulate law in governing the intelligence. Why is this important? Well, all of us know probably aware already about the existence of Intelligence Service, but most of us are probably pretty oblivious about the irony of very existence of BIN itself.
Guess what readers? BIN and intelligence service actually have not been governed in any particular law. Their legal status is currently uncertain. TNI, the Indonesia’s military service has its legal status by UU no. 34/2001, and Polri is governed by UU no. 3/2002. How about BIN? Believe it or not, BIN’s legality only briefly mentioned in Dekrit Presiden No. 103/2001 and Inpres 5/2002.
The latter one was issued as reaction of Bali Bombing in Megawati’s presidency. With absence of law, we could bluntly say BIN does not have any legal status now. One might could even convict that the existence of BIN is illegal if we want to be strict and following the constitution. But of course such thing most likely won’t happen, instead being erased, absence of clear rule of conduct is potentially a misuse of power, naturally.
Dr. Aleks mentioned that the process of formulating a draft was complicated. Again, we talk about balance of power, sharing of power, instead to cut the power, it’s natural if BIN would formulate draft that might potentially places them above the law. Dr Aleks several times mentioned about the worrying substance of the draft, imagine it, BIN actually suggested that they should be given right to arrest someone (with excuse of national security threat) without process or trial.
Unfortunately, Mr. Aleks couldn’t said too much about BIN or the process on creating the draft because it is stalled. Yup, I asked him after the class was over, mentioning that in the past BIN had made contact to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service, country whose diplomatic relation we yet to establish with.
After a short coffee break, Prof. Dr. Banyu Perwita delivered lecture of “Good Governance and the Security Sector Reform”. Dr. Banyu’s lecture was interrupted several times because one participant (from military background) seemed uncomfortable of the doctor’s introduction.
He worried that the other participants (the students, the civilians) would get wrong idea about the word security sector reform, how it might be associated to military, and might give negative impression to the military institution. Again, I also felt uncomfortable to that participant behavior’s, Dr. Banyu has not even finished his introduction and he kept interrupted by some paranoid participant.
Anyway, after some short tension, the lecture continued. Dr. Banyu mentioned that security sector reform is intended to create a democratic civilian control to the military institution, to professionalize military, and increasing transparency.
Professional military ideally must be out from the politic, business and not positioned in public officials. But the third goal is pretty problematic. Since the Indonesia’s political (and either conscious or unconsciously, culture) system has been long influenced by military. Remember the dwifungsi abri? The political culture in this country is still that bad, there is a gap between civilians and the military. When civilians want to be put in position to control military, they are risking themselves to be convicted of lacking expertise and have no real knowledge of managing real defense. The absence of civilians government during New Order’s era created inferiority complex. Take a look at the political parties, how many of their public figure don’t come from military background?
Also, the lack of “National Security Law” and updated “Defense White Paper” are also problematic. Indonesia, actually, is lacking of the experts to fill the position of handling the security. Security Council is what we obviously missing.
The third session began at 14.00, Winfried Weck delivered lecture titled “Good Governance and the Role of Interest Group”. To be honest, his lecture was tedious, he explained too much about political parties in theoretical view, I almost fell asleep with his soft voice. Though in my note, I wrote two paragraphs, like how Indonesia’s freedom of press is actually the highest in Southeast Asia, and how German’s word for Government, regierung is semantically different with our word pemerintahan. Regierung, in German’s sense, refers to executive, not the overall government. Interesting, no?
Anyway, that’s it for today, the class was over in 15.30, I was pretty tired, but at least I managed to watch the hilarious Get Smart, and still have some power left to update this blog.
Also to remind everyone, there is special session open of public guest on Monday, 14 July 2008. It will be held at Arjuna Boutigue Hotel and Spa, Bandung at 180.00-19.30 PM with topic
“Germany’s Foreign Policy and the Armed Forces of Germany: Professional Perception and Mission-experience of a Military Force in a Democracy”
The speakers are Stefan Schuleter (Vortragender Legationstrat I. Klasse and Head of department VN 02, Federal Foreign Office Berlin) and Carl-Mathias Wilke (Lieutant Colonel, Zentrum fuer Innere Fuehrung Koblenz). Yes, both are Germany Military officers, and seemingly high-ranking ones too. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to miss this good opportunity.
For NGO activists, International Relations students who particularly taking European Study, I suggest you to come since it’s free.. 
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Tags: Germany, Indonesia, International Relations, UNPARRelated posts
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