Indonesia's handpicked defence minister: Between strategy and keen interest

Imanuddin Razak

The Jakarta Post

Publication Date : 04-11-2014

The Cabinet of President Joko Jokowi Widodo has drawn severe criticism from the general public in regards to the new Cabinet members capacity and track records. Among those under the microscope is Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu.

The eventual appointment of Ryamizard, a 1974 graduate of the Army Academy and a retired four-star general, has been strongly criticised as going against the post-1998 reformist and democratic tradition of the last three Indonesian presidents who had appointed civilians for the defence minister portfolio a tradition intended to demonstrate civilian supremacy over the military. Ryamizards appointment, according to some rights activists, showed the new presidents lack of commitment to human rights, especially in conflict areas.

Ryamizards professional background as an Army general is also in sharp contrast to President Jokowis maritime-oriented national development strategy, which will concentrate on the exploration and exploitation of maritime resources as well as the development of naval forces, in view of the countrys archipelagic geography, which sees water account for two-thirds of its territory. It is feared that Ryamizards Army background would lead to Army-biased policies and significantly reduce development programmes for the other two branches of the armed forces the Navy and the Air Force.

Throughout his military career, particularly during his terms at the top of the Army leadership, Ryamizard was criticised for his controversial and frequently harsh statements on some military- and security-related issues. To be frank, his statements oftentimes benefited journalists seeking bold and newsworthy quotes for their news reports.

The general has, for example, branded the Armys Special Forces (Kopassus) soldiers convicted of killing Papuan independence fighter Theys Hiyo Eluay in 2002 as heroes and even accused rights groups of contributing nothing to the country. He always argued that he made such statements in his capacity as a member of the state security apparatus and in view of the state-people relationship, in which the state is responsible for protecting its people and the countrys territorial integrity.

Ryamizard is also known for revealing his nationalistic identity and sentiment, a feat frequently deemed by his critics as overrated. As an example, on some occasions, he was reported to have expressed his preference for Indonesia-trained officers rather than those trained overseas.

Read more:
Indonesia's handpicked defence minister: Between strategy and keen interest