ABRI ready to hunt for communists<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI), if asked, is ready to
\nconduct screening operations to weed out leftist elements from
\nall political parties.<\/p>\n
ABRI Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said here over the weekend
\nthat such an investigation is always possible if it is based on
\ngood intentions and dedicated to greater national interests.<\/p>\n
Feisal, who met newsmen after delivering a speech at the
\nmeeting of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals,
\nwas asked to react to a recent statement made by Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI). In the statement, Megawati said that all political
\nentities in Indonesia should be subjected to military examination
\nin order to screen for the presence of pro-communist elements.<\/p>\n
Suspicion of harboring communist elements should not be
\nlimited to the PDI alone and "Golkar and PPP should also undergo
\nmilitary screening," Megawati said.<\/p>\n
The West Java military command announced before the year's end
\ntheir suspicions of a local PDI leader's involvement -- directly
\nor indirectly -- in the attempted communist coup of 1965.<\/p>\n
Djadjang Kurniadi, a PDI activist, was recently identified as
\na member of the pro-communist camp within the Indonesian
\nNationalist Party (PNI). PNI, in addition to two Christian
\ngroupings and other minor nationalist parties, merged into the
\nPDI in 1973.<\/p>\n
Feisal said that Megawati should bring up her idea in the
\nHouse of Representatives. "ABRI will only act upon a government
\nrequest," he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Golkar chairman Harmoko said in Salatiga on Saturday
\nthat his government-backed party does not need military screening
\nas it is free from communist elements.<\/p>\n
Harmoko told reporters after a meeting with local Golkar
\nactivists in Salatiga that the recruiting system within his party
\nis fine and that Golkar always consults the local military and
\nthe provincial directorate of political affairs before accepting
\na member.<\/p>\n
Asked if any leftist elements remained in his party, Harmoko
\nreplied: "We are convinced there are none." (tis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abri-ready-to-hunt-for-communists-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}