On Tuesday (7), during his participation in the seminar Strategy and National Defense and Brazilian Industry, the minister of Defense, Nelson Jobim, said that his ministry is preparing a package to amend legislation on that sector. He mentioned the need to amend the Complementary Law 97/99, which provides for general rules for the organization, preparation and employment of the Military.

For the minister, those amendments in legislation are necessary, due to the National-Defense Strategy, approved in January by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Jobim, though, did not present a forecast on the conclusion of the studies, which are being discussed with the representatives of the three Powers and with deputies related to the Defense.

He hardened his speech by saying that the lack of resources for defense is the main hindrance for the development of that industry. “Without loans, we will not have to worry on other themes. The moment has arrived for this country to decide if we want and can finance national defense”, complained Jobim.

Conciliation
"The government decided to face the Defense System and the relations between civilians and the military, because we need to bring that issue to the core of national debate”, he said, when praising the organization of the event.

The minister observed that, until recently, that theme had not been touched in the Parliament, and lamented the fact that civilians have withdrawn from the debate on how to organize the Military.

Nelson Jobim outlined the rapport between the military and civilian power, and defended measures that prevented the increase in the participation of the Military in additional political spaces, because of the military regime (1964/1985).

In an audience full of militaries and deputies, the minister called for conciliation, and said that there are no splits in Brazil. According to him, this country starts now to consolidate a new role for the Military.

“The absolute trustworthiness of the Military to the democratic process, which is the affirmation process of the military forces which defend it, is unquestionable”, he said.

Something of the past
Professor Eurico Lima Figueiredo, who coordinates the post-grad studies in political science of the Universidade Federal Fluminense , and chairs the recently-created Brazilian Association on Defense Studies (Abed), agrees with the minister, and says that the idea that defense is linked only to war and threatens from other countries is totally outdated.

"We do not suffer open threatens, but we live in a world which is extremely threatened by other kinds of issues”, he said, and mentioned natural catastrophes, terrorism, financial crises and the need to create peace-maintenance forces.

Critical mass
During the debate, Deputy Marcondes Gadelha (PSB-PB) called the attention to the emphasis given by the minister to the involvement of civil society and of the Parliament in the discussion on Defense. He said that he is happy to see that there is already a critical mass in the civilian milieu for a quality discussion with the Military, represented by Abed.

According to Figueiredo, more than 500 researchers met and 256 papers were presented at the last encounter of Abed. “There were excellence niches in Campinas and in Iuperj, but this is being disseminated among Brazilian universities”, stressed Gadelha.

Lack of dialogue
For Deputy José Genoíno (PT-SP), although the scientific community is getting organized, the research institutes have shown little dialogue among them. According to his evaluation, a new arrangement is necessary, in which industry cooperates with the institutes and the later engage in dialogue, and sectors such as the nuclear – mentioned by him as a still closed sector – return to the industry with business proposals.

Moreover, Genoíno said that the problem of the financing of the Defense Projects has to do with its continuity. He suggested several solutions, such as the union of the three Powers for purchases in common projects, the creation of a fund for the sector, and the prohibition of allotments in that area. “How can we work with such projects, in a 20 year timeframe, with yearly budgets and allotment?” he asked.
 

Report - Marcello Larcher
Editing - Newton Araújo
Translation - Positive Idiomas Ltda