Dwifungsi ABRI – The dual function of the Indonesian armed forces (book review)

Title :-Dwifungsi ABRI – The dual function of the Indonesian armed forces.

By :- Bilveer Singh.

Published :- Singapore institute of internal affairs (1995) Hard back (200 pages)

Outline :- This book sets out the history, rational and method o fimplimentation for the Indonesian military to take an active and visible roll in village life across the nation. The background was that Indonesia had been through various social upheavals in becoming a nation, and the state administrative function was not enough to bring harmony and common direction to the millions of small villages, suburbs throughout Indonesia. The book tends not to look at the concept from an opposition aspects, that Dwifungsi was a form State Control. The book also passes over the ongoing historical aspect at the time, that many district military leaders moved across into civil positions of bupaty (district civil leader/ small king), or had their strong influence in selecting bupaties.

Some interesting excerpts;

• By nature, peoples war has a great blurring effect of military-civilian functions which are dictated by efforts of the military to foster closer links with the local populace.
• One cannot but notice the attempt by Western writers to consciously or unconsciously apply their political cultural – philosophical ethos and values in analyzing civil – military relations in the third world.

A nice and useful account of a great social influence on Indonesia at such a time