Communist, leftist activity seen increasing: Feisal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung has
\nadvised all regional military commanders to raise their alertness
\nto what he says is are increasing communist and leftist
\nactivities in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"There are signs indicating an increase in their activities,"
\nFeisal was quoted by Antara as saying in the West Javanese
\ncapital Bandung yesterday.<\/p>\n
Addressing several hundred military officers, Feisal said that
\nthe rise in subversive activities is being seen throughout the
\ncountry. He called on local military commanders to intensify
\nsurveillance and monitoring of these activities.<\/p>\n
The government outlawed the Indonesian Communist Party in 1965
\nafter blaming it for a bloody coup attempt. Since then the
\ncountry has been gripped by a phobia about communism, with all
\nliterary or symbolic references to the movement being
\ncategorically banned.<\/p>\n
Until last month, former Communist Party members and suspected
\nsympathizers imprisoned after the 1965 coup had to endure an "ET"
\nstamp on their identification cards, signifying that they were
\nformer political detainees.<\/p>\n
According to Feisal, the current rise of communist and leftist
\nactivities must be met by increased shrewdness on the part of the
\nArmed Forces.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, the commander of West Java's Siliwangi
\nmilitary command, Maj. Gen. Tayo, said there were indications
\nthat communists and leftists were on the rise in his province.<\/p>\n
Tayo said these included groups who wanted to form a Pasundan
\nNational Kingdom or an Indonesian Islamic State.<\/p>\n
In response Tayo's report, Feisal instructed the regional
\ncommander to tighten security and be watchful against such
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
"More regular inspections have to be carried out; and not just
\nin West Java but throughout Indonesia," Feisal ordered.<\/p>\n
Liberal<\/p>\n
On the subject of internal threats, Feisal also issued a
\nwarning in relation to what he called the many "trouble makers"
\nwho he said have risen lately to take advantage of Indonesia's
\n50th anniversary celebrations to further their own goals.<\/p>\n
"The issues they often bring to the fore are human rights,
\nlabor and environmental issues under the cover of liberal
\nthought," the Armed Forces commander said.<\/p>\n
Without identifying the "trouble makers," Feisal said that
\ncertain groups had exploited privileges and opportunities given
\nto them to put forward new ideas which are conceptually
\ninconsistent with the state ideology Pancasila.<\/p>\n
Feisal said that, as the Armed Forces celebrate their golden
\njubilee on Oct. 5, the trouble-making groups will again show
\nthemselves, raising issues such as human rights.<\/p>\n
"As commander of the Armed Forces, I am instructing all ranks
\nof the military, employees, and the greater family of the Armed
\nForces to remain vigilant and alert to this tendency," he said.<\/p>\n
Feisal then put forward his thoughts on human rights and
\ndemocracy.<\/p>\n
Democracy, the general said, has both universal and local
\nvalues. Thus, despite there being a universal ideal, local norms
\nthat exist in respective states must also be taken into account.<\/p>\n
"Because of that there is no democratic form in this world
\nwhich applies universally," he said, adding that forcing a state
\nto accept a particular type of democracy without considering the
\nsocio-cultural traits of that nation would be undemocratic.<\/p>\n
In efforts to contribute to the narrowing of the social
\neconomic gap, Feisal said, the Armed Forces was trying to
\nincrease awareness of this issue through various dialogs with
\nsocio-political organizations.<\/p>\n
"This is important because it helps to create a common
\nperception on the direction of development to overcome the
\nproblems we face," he said.<\/p>\n
He added that efforts such this would also help answer critics
\nof the Armed Forces' dual function, which allots it both a
\nmilitary and a political role.(mds)<\/p>",
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