Slobodan Lekic, Magelang – They take classes in human rights, are required to carry a handbook listing international conventions and are taught to put themselves in the place of prisoners of war.
They are officer-cadets at Indonesia's equivalent of West Point, in an army hoping to shake off a notorious reputation for brutality and oppression.
Inspired by the possible renewal of military aid from the United States, the army brass is touting the rights curriculum as its way of producing a new generation of leaders who can balance battlefield prowess with sensitivity to human rights.
The army recently invited reporters to see how the new and compulsory training is being implemented at the Land Forces Academy, 225 miles southeast of Jakarta, the capital.
"Every single cadet must have a booklet with him at all times listing international rights regulations and articles of the Geneva Conventions," said Gen. Prabowo Suharto, head of the academy. "They must learn it by heart if they wish to graduate," said the general. He is not related to former dictator Suharto, ousted by pro-democracy protests in 1998.
Washington views Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, as a strategic ally in its war on terrorism. The Bush administration has proposed that Congress repeal a law banning contacts between the two militaries until the Indonesian army is brought under civilian control and held accountable for past atrocities, including massacres in East Timor in 1999.
But many US lawmakers remain skeptical. Critics say the army, the main pillar of Suharto's bloody, 32-year dictatorship, remains a threat to Indonesian democracy. Robert Gelbard, US ambassador to Indonesia until last year, described the administration's push to re-establish ties as "unfortunate."
"The military have largely avoided ... demonstrating that they are prepared to be active participants in the new democratic system," Gelbard said in a letter to Congress. "Military reform has essentially not yet begun."
Continuing atrocities in Aceh, a western region seeking independence, and two bloody incidents allegedly involving soldiers in eastern Papua province, prove that little has changed, critics say.
Ten special forces troops have been charged with the assassination last November of Theys Eluay, a leading Papuan politician. More recently, rights campaigners have alleged that soldiers attempting to discredit the Papuan separatist movement were involved in a roadside ambush in which two American schoolteachers died.
In contrast to the army, other branches of Indonesia's armed forces are untainted by such accusations.
The human rights course at the army academy was introduced in 1999 and the first lieutenants instructed in the subject are graduating in December. The hope is that they will pass on the teachings to their troops.
The curriculum includes summaries of international accords on human rights, and the Geneva conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war and the protection of civilians. The manuals are abridged versions of material published by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Instructors said they advise cadets to always treat prisoners as they would expect to be treated if captured.
Gen. Suharto said the teaching has already produced some unexpected benefits. "The number of hazing incidents was cut drastically after we began teaching cadets that this is not only a breach of military discipline, but also contravenes international laws," he said.
Analysts caution that the training will only be effective if broader issues are addressed, such as the rule of law and the role of the armed forces in a democratic society.
Salim Said, a military analyst, warned that to make a real change, Indonesia's corrupt legal system needed thorough revamping. "You only respect human rights if you know you will be punished if you violate them," Said said. "For that, you must have a strong society and civilian control over the military."