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cindy25
08-16-2010, 02:28 AM
last week there were numerous proposals for mandatory ROTC (de facto draft) in the Philippines. it just seems strange that two countries receiving increased US Aid suddenly start to push this. Indonesia didn't even have a draft under Suharto.
who is next to propose this? Pakistan? India? why????

and now this from Indonesia:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/08/16/activists-raise-questions-about-military-bill.html

Activists raise questions about military bill

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 08/16/2010 9:26 AM | National A | A | A |
The House of Representatives is deliberating a draft law on a national military reserve, to be ratified this year, while activists continue to question its viability.

The reserve component bill stipulates that among efforts to maintain national security the government must establish a reserve army comprising civilian troops, similar to the Singapore Army Operational Reserve or United States National Guard.

The Defense Ministry says a reserve army is mandated under the Constitution and would enhance the capacity of the Indonesian Military to face military and non-military threats. Service in the reserve would be mandatory under the new law.

Hari Prihartono, a military expert from the Propatria Institute, said the government needed to consider its economic and political capacity to support and maintain such an army.

“There should be a management system that would prevent the reserve army from abuses of power,” Hari said recently.

“If the allocated budget cannot support a reserve army, it is possible a third party could benefit.”

Indonesian Human Rights Monitor program director Al Araf questioned the mandatory involvement of civilians in a reserve army.

“Article 7 of the bill stipulates that every citizen between 18 and 45 years old is obliged to serve in the reserve army, and whoever refuses will be punished,” Al Araf said.

He added that the bill did not guarantee the right to reject conscription or compulsory military service based on beliefs, conscience or religion. Conscientious objection is protected by a resolution of the UN High Commission for Human Rights.

“The bill only stipulates that mandatory service can be waived because of poor health or reasons other than conscientious objection,” Araf said.

Defense Ministry spokesman I Wayan Midhio said citizens’ service for the reserve army was different to military conscription.

“Military conscription demands that every citizen does military service, while for this reserve we will select those fulfilling several requirements in a recruitment processes.”

While Indonesia may not face wars in coming years, it needs to prepare itself for non-military threats, Midhio added.

“We predict that over the next 10 years competition for resources will be higher than it is now, and that will put pressures on us.” (lnd)
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james1906
08-16-2010, 06:07 AM
There's a number of secessionist movements in both countries. This might be to quell them once and for all.

LibertyVox
08-16-2010, 06:17 AM
There's a number of secessionist movements in both countries. This might be to quell them once and for all.

South Asia is a huge region---almost the size of mainland Europe sans Russia. And it's not comprised of only 2 states.

And the region does not need any outside meddler to provoke a war. It has been unstable since the end of the colonial rule.

The internal instability is largely due to their own criminal incompetence, state philosophy and brutal stat policy regardless of how much they would like to shift blame to outside players or their neighbors.