Farish A Noor – Bambang managed to persuade most of the voters that he could restore calm and stability to the country. A long-time ally and friend of the US, he was touted as the man who could bring about Indonesia's recovery and improve the country's relationship with the West. Rights groups and the liberal press have expressed concerns about his links to the armed forces and the New Order regime
It is odd, to say the least, how so many of the "moderate" faces of Islam that are beloved of Washington these days happen to be former soldiers trained in the United States courtesy of the "benevolent patronage" of Uncle Sam! The latest saviour of moderate Islam is none other than General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a graduate of Forts Benning, Bragg and Leavenworth, and now president of Indonesia.
Bambang's military career began as soon as he left high school. In 1970 he enrolled at the Academy of the Armed Forces of the Indonesian Republic (Akabri). Three years later (in 1973) he graduated with the highest honours among all students in the country. This earned him the Adhi Makasaya award of academic merit from Akabri. From there he began his military career, as a promising young officer noted for his academic abilities and personal discipline.
Having distinguished himself as the most promising military cadet of his year, Bambang was selected for further education and training both within the country and abroad, particularly in the United States. During the New Order regime (1967-1998) of General-turned-President Soeharto, America invested heavily into the Indonesian state and economy. So did Israel and some European allies. Both America and Israel were instrumental in the training and development of key Indonesian security units such as the Indonesian Intelligence Service (BIN) and the country's elite commando unit, Kopassus. Young officers who demonstrated promise and ability were regularly sent abroad for further training in the USA. Bambang was one of them.
In 1976 he took part in the US Airborne and Rangers course at Fort Benning, Georgia, at the same time attending a language course at Lackland, Texas.
In 1982-83 he took part in the Infantry Officer's Advanced Course at Fort Benning, graduating with honours. I 1983 he took part in the Jungle Warfare Training course in Panama. In 1984 he participated in the Anti-tank Weapons course that was conducted in Belgium and Germany. Besides academic studies and training he also took part in 'on the job' training with the 82nd US Airborne Division at Fort Bragg (in 1983). Bambang's working relationship with the USA continued well into the 1990s. In 1990-91 he was at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. At the same time He also obtained a Master of Arts degree in management from Webster University, Missouri.
Training and education paid dividends almost immediately. His first active military command was as commander of the third platoon of 330/Tri Dharma Airborne Infantry unit of the Strategic Command (Konstrad). He then became commander of the second platoon (305/Tengkorak), Konstrad, between 1976-77 and led the platoon in action in East Timor.
In Indonesia he was known as one of the senior commanders in charge of military and security operations in East Timor. His first tour of command there was between 1979 and 1980 and the second from 1986 to 1988. It is sometimes forgotten that despite the global outcry over the military invasion and subsequent annexation of East Timor in 1974 many of the Indonesian officers stationed there were trained by the USA and other Western states.
On account of his accomplishments on the field and while in command of his troops, Bambang rose in the ABRI hierarchy to become Coordinator of the Private Staff (Korspri) to General Edi Sudrajat in 1993. Due in part to his standing within the armed forces, he was recommended as Chief Military Observer to the United Nations Protection Force (UNPF) in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the peak of the Bosnian crisis in 1995, and accepted for the post.
Upon his return to Indonesia he rose even faster and higher due to the evident shift in public opinion and open hostility being shown to the Soeharto regime and the armed forces. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 led to mass demonstrations by students and civil society groups, who called for the resignation of President Soeharto and prosecution of key ABRI leaders. In the midst of this upheaval, Bambang was one of the few senior officers who could maintain a dialogue with civil society organisations and the student demonstrators. While other senior ABRI leaders like Major-General Wiranto were being accused of crimes against humanity in places like East Timor, Bambang was promoted and made head of the ABRI representation at the People's Assembly (ABRI-MPR) in 1998. Following president Soeharto's resignation in May 1998 and the collapse of the New Order regime, Bambang was promoted to the post of Chief of Territorial Command (1998-99).
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's political career began as soon as he retired from the army in January 2000. He served in the cabinets of Presidents Gus Dur and Megawati Sukarnoputri, but fell out with both (with Gus Dur in 2001 and with Megawati in March 2004). Being an ex-army man with strong links to the armed forces and the security services, his theme has always been the same: restoration of law and order and public security above all else.
Finally in September 2004 Bambang – along with running mate Muhammad Jusuf Kalla – stood against the pairing of Megawati Sukarnoputri and Kyai Hasyim Muzadi. Bambang managed to persuade most of the voters that he was the man who could deliver on his promise to restore calm and stability to the country. After seven years the Indonesian economy has yet to recover from the financial crisis of 1997-98 and the spate of bombings in Bali and Jakarta have sullied the country's image abroad – particularly among foreign investors and tourists. Promising that he would rid the country of religious extremism, terror networks and communal violence, Bambang and Jusuf Kalla managed to secure 61 percent of the votes at the September 2004 selections. In October 2004 he was declared winner and next president of Indonesia.
The spectacular rise of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been warmly greeted by neighbouring ASEAN countries and Western governments. A long-time ally and friend of the US, Bambang – the American-trained army officer who served the pro-Western New Order regime of Soeharto – was touted as the man who could bring about Indonesia's recovery and improve the country's relationship with the West. Yet at home many human rights groups, workers' movements and liberal sections of the Indonesian press have expressed concern about his links to the armed forces and security services; as well as the fact that his role in the New Order regime and his part in the East Timor campaign have apparently gone unnoticed.
[Dr Farish A Noor is a Malaysian political scientist and human rights activist.]