Military doctrines and democratic transition: a comparative perspective on Indonesia's dual function and Latin American national security doctrines

This paper attempts to clarify the ideological characteristic of the Indonesian military's dual-function doctrine (or dwifungsi) by bringing cross-national comparative perspectives into the scope of analysis. In scholarship of Indonesian military (Angkatan Bersenjata Republik Indonesia, ABRI), comparative analysis has been conducted to better understand the political role of the military. This paper aims to make a contribution to such an attempt by examining the ideological basis of ABRI's political involvement compared with other militaries which have also played heavy political roles

Instrumentalizing Pressures, Reinventing Mission: Indonesian Navy Battles for Turf in the Age of Reformasi

Page range: 63-80Scholarship about the Indonesian military has examined the development of military reforms aimed at democratizing civil-military relations, but the discourse almost exclusively focuses on the role of the army. While this focus is understandable, given the institutional importance of the army, reform pressures have also affected the navy and air force. Honna examines how the navy has adapted to conditions following the collapse of Suharto’s New Order regime. The essay clarifies how the navy attempts to mobilize international pressures, global norms, and regional standards, and transform them into a breakthrough strategy to protect its vested institutional interests

Military Ideology in Response to Democratic Pressure During the Late Suharto Era: Political and Institutional Contexts

Page range: 77-12

Local Civil-Military Relations during the First Phase of Democratic Transition, 1999-2004: A Comparison of West, Central, and East Java

Page range: 75-96This essay studies political developments that have taken place in three Javanese provinces since the 1999 general elections, which instituted a number of structural reforms intended to decentralize power and promote democracy. Honna demonstrates that, in these provinces, alliances between elite concession holders and various preman groups have overwhelmed civil society movements, which try to organize political power from below. The essay analyzes the political techniques used by these alliances, and shows that the Indonesian military has taken quiet advantage of such developments. The ways in which local military elites have manipulated civilian politics are also discussed in detail