Jakarta – The Indonesian armed forces (Abri) should reduce its non-defence roles and concentrate more on their defence duties to allow democracy to flourish, members of the state-run Indonesian Institute of Science were quoted as saying yesterday. The institute, which made public a report on the military's role on Monday, called for a gradual reduction of the military's role in socio-political affairs, the Antara news agency said.

The military is guaranteed 75 seats in the country's national assembly, in addition to 425 elected seats.

Antara said the military should move back from its current controlling nature in politics to a participatory role and then eventually take a backseat in the process.

The institute was asked in 1995 by President Suharto to write the report, said Mr Ikrar Nusa Bakti, a member of the institute's research team.

"This team of research is not anti-Abri and does not consider a civilian-military dichotomy," he said.

Under Indonesian laws, the military are accorded a role in the defence of the country, but also a role in the country's socio-political affairs. The latter role has seen active and retired officers holding key posts in the government, legislative and judicial sectors, as well as in business.

The institute also recommended that the military reduce control over political institutions and focus on poverty eradication and promotion of human rights. – AFP.

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