Opinion

Why Has Kopassus Lost its Way?

Last Thursday, the Special Forces Command (Kopassus) marked its 50th anniversary. Reaching the half-century is usually a time for celebration. But for Kopassus, a fog of questions has clouded the festivities. The organization's role in propping up the New Order regime has left a legacy of shame.

But not all of the elite unit's history is bad. At the beginning of the New Order, most people were proud to have a military unit called the Paratroop Commando Regiment (RKPAD), as Kopassus was then known. The RKPAD was viewed as a regiment comprising the most highly trained troops in the nation, and who would rather anything than fail in carrying out their duties. Sarwo Edhie, RPKAD commander at the time became an idol to many. He was not only a brave patriot who was resolute in his work, but he also led a simple lifestyle. Many saw in his face an example of a noble Indonesian warrior.

Unfortunately, those times, when the public loudly applauded the existence of the RPKAD, are now long gone. Nowadays, in the eyes of the public Kopassus is seen as an organization that terrorizes its fellow countrymen and as the unit that kidnapped student activists, is responsible for human rights violations in restive areas such as Aceh and Papua, and now is seeing some of its members accused of involvement in various acts that have made the public feel less safe.

This drastic change is indeed a cause for concern. Therefore, the occasion of celebrating the unit's golden jubilee should be a time for reflection and for trying to find the answer to why Kopassus has "lost its way" between the time it was loved by the people and now, when criticism is raining down on it, particularly from young people.

The answer, at least according to this magazine, is plain for all to see. Kopassus lost its way when, intentionally or not, the Red Berets changed from being a tool of the state to being a tool of power. As a result, the elite unit's expertise in the use of violence was no longer used against enemies of the state, but against rivals for power. Anybody who did not go along with the Supreme Commander became a target who needed to be dealt with. Students who criticized and politicians who had different ideas about how to run the country were kidnapped. Public figures who called for more equality for their people were terrorized and isolated until they had no other choice but to become separatists or anarchists. Those who wanted to organize peaceful protests were provoked into committing offenses and then dealt with harshly by the law.

The negative impact not only affected outsiders, but also those inside Kopassus. Noble warriors taking responsibility for their actions and living simple lives-as demonstrated by Sarwo Edhie and other RPKAD officers-are now things of the past. There are now almost no commanders ready to step forward and take responsibility for the misdeeds of the men under their command as there were in the past. The bitterness of the competition between officers to obtain promotions and postings sometimes gives the impression that they no longer care about the interests, values or good name of the nation and people.

It should be explained that these negative qualities are not only found in Kopassus, but in nearly all institutions in this republic, civilian and military and including the media. Because of this, the problems of the Special Forces Command, and those of other state organizations, cannot all be blamed on the troops; they are the result of a collective failing of the nation. Likewise, we cannot hope for a solution to those problems to come from within the respective institutions, including Kopassus. They must come from national leaders that have been chosen by the people to represent their aspirations.

This is because fundamentally, Kopassus, and the Indonesian Military (TNI), are tools of the state. Therefore only those running the state decide how they should be used. Like a commando knife, Kopassus can be used as a reliable means of self-defense, but can harm the user if used wrongly. Although this opinion may not be popular with some, we must have the courage to say that insulting Kopassus is only for idiots with nothing better to do, leaving aside the sins of the unit in the past. It is like when you cut yourself with a knife. It is not the knife that is to blame; it is the person using it.

So, to borrow from the title of the popular book by Arswendo Atmowiloto, it can be said that "fixing the military is easy", including those parts of it seen as toughest such as the Red Berets of Kopassus. What is needed is the agreement of the public-via the existing political mechanisms-regarding what must be done. Then the national leadership will have to order the
troops to carry it out.

Believe it, they will be loyal and will shout loudly, "We're ready."