ABRI hails Habibie's state address<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) top brass greeted with
\ngrace President B.J. Habibie's assertion yesterday that the
\nmilitary had to undergo reform, calling the stance realistic and
\nfuture-oriented.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto said the military was
\nready for some political power-sharing, while Armed Forces Chief
\nof Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
\nadmitted that the \"security approach\" was now obsolete.<\/p>\n
In his first state of the nation address yesterday, Habibie
\nsaid rank and file reforms of the Armed Forces had and were being
\nexercised in a serious, conceptual and systematic fashion.<\/p>\n
\"His address was quite realistic for the present situation and
\nfor the future, especially the part on how to respond to the
\nreform spirit,\" Susilo told reporters.<\/p>\n
He also supported Habibie's statement that the Armed Forces
\nshould instead develop prosperity-oriented and democratic
\napproaches to state and security affairs.<\/p>\n
However, Susilo said the campaign for stability should not be
\nabandoned. \"What's most important is that the campaign for
\nstability does not hamper the spirit... for democratization,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Responding to Habibie's statement that the Armed Forces should
\nscale back its sociopolitical role, Wiranto said: \"We are ready
\nfor political power-sharing with other sociopolitical elements.\"<\/p>\n
Other parts of Habibie's speech, especially on human rights
\npromotion, also received a warm welcome.<\/p>\n
United Development Party (PPP) chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum
\nlauded Habibie because he apologized for the various rights
\nviolations committed by the state apparatuses in the past.<\/p>\n
\"The apology is good for the nation, at least it can lessen
\nthe grief of the relatives of the victims (of rights
\nviolations),\" said Ismail, who hails from Aceh, where massive
\nrights violations have taken place over the last few years.<\/p>\n
The deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human
\nRights, Marzuki Darusman, also praised Habibie for the public
\napology.<\/p>\n
\"An apology is a symbol of admission that the security
\napproach in the past was a fundamental mistake,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
However, he said apologies were not enough, and called on the
\ngovernment to make the alleged perpetrators of human rights
\nviolations answer for their actions in a court of law.<\/p>\n
Overall, he considered Habibie's speech \"realistic\" and that
\n\"it touched upon substantial problems in society.\"<\/p>\n
Several foreign envoys also hailed Habibie's state address,
\nnoting that self-confidence, national unity and resilience were
\nkey to solutions to Indonesia's problems.<\/p>\n
Iraqi Ambassador Sa'doon J. Al Zubaidi told reporters after
\nthe annual state function that Habibie's speech covered social,
\npolitical and economical aspects of life of Indonesians.<\/p>\n
\"President Habibie's speech was very comprehensive,\" he said,
\nas quoted by Antara yesterday.<\/p>\n
He suggested that unity and self-esteem as well as stability
\nwere important for Indonesia to overcome its economic crisis.<\/p>\n
\"We want Indonesia to be strong, stable and successful because
\nthe success of Indonesia is the success for all Arab (countries)
\nand Moslems in general,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In his 45-page address, Habibie suggested the importance of
\nstraightening the country's financial institutions, including
\nefforts to settle private sector debts, create efficient and
\ncompetitive economic system and promote openness and transparency
\nin the state administration and also in business management.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Sa'doon also called on the nation to maintain
\nunity, saying: \"A divided Indonesia is not only bad for
\nIndonesians but also for the region. It's only good for
\nIndonesia's enemies.\"<\/p>\n
\"A united Indonesia is good for Indonesia, for the region and
\nfor the developing world,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sudanese Ambassador Hassan Gadelkarim shared the view of his
\nIraqi counterpart.<\/p>\n
He called on Indonesians not to fall into a long period of
\nmisery, but to start working hard and hand-in-hand as one nation.<\/p>\n
\"We want the Indonesian people not to be worried about the
\ncrisis, as they can overcome all their problems through national
\nresilience and unity,\" Hassan said.<\/p>\n
Swedish Ambassador Mikael Lindstrom expressed his confidence
\nin the Indonesian Armed Forces' likely success to restore
\nstability and security.<\/p>\n
\"Now, Indonesia is fairly safe. There is no reason for
\nforeigners to hesitate to come to Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Well, I have just come back from my own country. I told
\npeople I met that Indonesia is a very good country for tourism,
\nwith very nice people to deal with,\" he added. (imn\/byg)<\/p>",
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