Dani Aswara, Jakarta – The Head of the Indonesian Military Information Center, Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi, has refuted allegations of campus militarization by the Indonesian Military (TNI) at Udayana University in Bali. These allegations surfaced following a cooperation agreement established between the TNI and the university.
Kristomei dismissed the concerns raised by some parties as an "excessive and unfounded form of fear." He conveyed this via a text message on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
He questioned the basis of the recent apprehension regarding the TNI's involvement in the academic environment. He asserted that the TNI's presence on university campuses is not new and has been occurring for several years. "Is Udayana University the only institution doing this? No, it has been a practice for years. And has there been militarization as a result?" he said.
According to him, the collaboration between the TNI and the campus was initiated at the request of the Udayana University Rector, rather than solely by the TNI. "The cooperation is determined by the university's rectorate, on which areas will be collaborated on and other provisions. The TNI does not simply seek to enter abruptly," he explained.
Kristomei stated that the TNI's presence on campus aims to enhance national insight and reinforce national values among students. He also rejected the notion that these activities would restrict freedom of thinking within the academic community.
"The rectorate has its reasons for requesting the TNI's involvement in the context of student development. For example, in areas such as national insight, national defense awareness, discipline, geopolitics, and understanding how the TNI operates within a democratic nation," he elaborated.
Furthermore, he pointed out that TNI activities on campus, such as seminars and discussions, are common and, in fact, provide a platform for dialogue with students across levels. "It's not just about the TNI entering campuses. We conduct seminars and focus group discussions, and we also invite students – undergraduate, master's, and doctoral candidates – to participate in these seminars and discussions together," he said.
Previously, Ikhsan Yosarie, a researcher at the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, assessed that the cooperation indicated a potential trend of military dominance over civilian spheres.
"Substantively, forms of cooperation such as national defense training, public lectures by the TNI Commander, the Army Chief of Staff, and the Commander of the IX/Udayana Regional Military Command (Kodam IX/Udayana), as well as discipline training for new students, tend to suggest military supremacy over civilians," Ikhsan said on Monday, April 7, 2025.
Ikhsan, who is also a lecturer in Government Science at Indo Global University, noted the absence of reciprocal cooperation, such as public lectures or education on human rights and democracy for TNI personnel, which could be provided by professors or experts from related academic fields. "Even though these topics often form the basis of criticism directed towards TNI personnel," he observed.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Student Executive Body (BEM) of Udayana University, I Wayan Arma Surya, reported that during a previous meeting, the university's rectorate had expressed its willingness to cancel the agreement and had committed to sending a cancellation letter within seven working days. However, as of now, the letter has not been sent.
"The Rector is willing to cancel the agreement, but we have not yet seen an official letter sent to the TNI. This marks the second day of the one-week timeframe that was agreed upon," Arma told Tempo on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1995484/tni-denies-militarizing-balis-udayana-universit