Indonesian defence policy and the Indonesian armed force

164 Pages·2012·62.24 MB·English

CANBERRA PAPERS ON
STRATEGY AND DEFENCE NO. 99

INDONESIAN DEFENCE POLICY
AND THE INDONESIAN ARMED FORCES
Bob Lowry
Published by
Strategic and Defence Studies Centre
Researdr Sdrool of Pacific Studies
The Australian National University
Canbera, Australia
1993
hinted and hrblbhed in Atlshalia
at theAushalian Nadonal University 193
@ Commonwealth of Australia, 193
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Indonesian defetre policy and the Indonesian arured fores.
Bibliography.
ISBN 0 73151534X.
1. Indonesia - Military policy. 2. lndonesia - Defmses.
3. Indonesia - Mlitary relations - Foreign countries.
4. Indonesia - Armed Fore. I. Awtralian National University.
Skategic and Defence Shrdies Centre. II. Title.
(Series : Canberra papers on shategy and defence; no.9).
355.(R?5596
Series Editor Helen Hookey
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ABSTRACT
Indonesia's strategic location astride the sea and air routes
between East Asia and the Middle East and between Australia and
Asia enhances its importance in international relations. Conversely, its
location on the crossroads of Asia also exposes it to the influence of
countries concerned to safeguard freedom of passage and resource
supply and has the potential to involve lndonesia in disputes betr,veen
third parties. lndonesia's miliary capability is examined in the context
of its foreign and defence policy and the perceived external threat.
Indonesia's curr€nt military capability against an external threat is
focused against a threat from the north and its capabilities are modest.
This results from rcsource constrainb and the need to give priority to
internal security. Both factors will remain limitations on the
development of Indonesia's conventional military capabilities,
prirnarily air and maritime capabilities, for some time to come.
Mr Bob Lowry retired from the Australian Army in 1993 and is now
the Assistant Director of the Australian Institute of International
Affairs. He is also a Visiting Fellow at the Strategic and Defence
Studies Centre, Research Schml of Pacific Studies, Australian National
university. During his military cat€er he served in south vietnam,
Singapore and Indonesia. He is a graduate of the Indonesian Army
command and staff college Bandung, and was Assistant Defence and
Army Attache in fakarta in ttre mia-r980s. He has written two articles:
'Internal Defence in Indonesia', Defence Force loutnal, No.55, 1985 and
'The Futurc of the Social Function of the Indonesian Armed Forces',
Defarce Fnce lourtul, No.80, 1990. Another paper on 'Why Indonesia
C6sed the Straits in 1988' will appear in Stuilia in Conflict anil
Tqrorbm, No.36, 1993. He will be continuing his research on
Indonesian defence issues.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the Australian Army for the opportunity
to spend the last of my 30 years as a serviceman at the Strategic and
Defence Studies Centre ard br the opportunity to spend over six years
of that career in Southeast Asia.
Thanks are also due to the staff of the Strategic and Defence
Studies Crntre for their support and encouragement in researching,
writing and preparing this monograph for publication. Dr Harold
Croudr from the Department of Social and Political Change also
provided useful comrnent and encouragement.
I would also like b thank my Indonesian hosts and friends
from my days as a student at the Indonesian Army Command atd
Staff College, from my sen'ice as a military attache in the Australian
Embassy, Jakarta, and from my field t ip in luly 1992 for the insights
they have provided which have enabled me to complete this work.
The rnore this work progressed the more questions arose and,
unfortunately, many of them have not been answercd. But I hope this
work will provide a starting-point for further study of lndonesia's
external defence and security problems and the policies, strategies ard
nrechanisms it employs to address them.
Canbera Papus on Sbategy anil Defetrce are a series of monograph
publications which arise out of the work of the Strategic and Defence
Studies Centre, Research School of Pacific Studies, The Australian
National University. Frcvious Canberra Papers have covered topics
such as the relationship of the superpowers, arrns control at both the
superpower and South-east Asian regional level, regional strategic
relationships and mapr aspects of Australian defence policy. For a list
of those still available refer to the last pages of this volume.
Unless otherwise stated, publications of the Centre are
presented without endorsement as contributions to the public record
and debate. Authors are responsible for their own analysis and
condusions.
The views expressed in this publication are the author's and
not nec€ssarily those of the Minister for Defence or Department of
Defence. The Comrmnwealth of Australia will not be legally
responsible in contract, tort or otherwise for any statement made in
this paper.