OPEN BUT DIMINISHES: CIVIL SOCIETY, POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE AND DEMOCRATIZING SECURITY SECTOR IN INDONESIA

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyze how Indonesians civil society organizations (CSOs) benefited political opportunity to democratize security sector reforms in Indonesia during reformasi which embarked in 1998. Using qualitative method and library data analysis and look at similar cases in Brazil and Chile as comparative cases, this article finds that in the outset of reformasi, the political opportunity to promote democratic principles in the security sectors is widely open . This was due to strong efforts made civil society to create consensus with political elites in abandoning the authoritarian legacy in the security forces. However due to the weakening enthusiasm of CSOs, the absence of shared vision between CSOs and political elites and the poor political will of the decision makers in the executive and legislative branch, the political oppertinuty to continue security sector reform diminishes. Indonesia cases is similar to that of in Brazil in 1981 and 1982.