Gen. Hartono the undesirable<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Villagers in Bengkalis, Riau, are taking offense
\nat a four-meter tall statue of Gen. (ret) R. Hartono standing to
\nattention in his full military uniform at an oil palm plantation
\nbelonging to powerful tycoon Liem Sioe Liong.<\/p>\n
Villagers have asked the provincial councilors to use their
\ninfluence to have the statue removed, saying that the company is
\nusing it to \"terrorize\" indigenous people trying to reclaim their
\nland taken for the project.<\/p>\n
\"The statue is useless so why should it be there,\" said one of
\nthe villagers who took their protest to the legislative council.<\/p>\n
It is not known when the statue was erected but villagers said
\nthat Gen. Hartono, a former army chief, was present when it was
\ndedicated earlier this year, Antara reported yesterday.<\/p>\n
Hartono, a close ally of former president Soeharto, reportedly
\nhad to reach the site on foot because the jeep that took him to
\nthe plantation got a flat tire.<\/p>\n
Residents said the statue was erected before the \"reform era\"
\nwhen the authoritarian Soeharto was still in power.<\/p>\n
\"It would have been OK if the statue was one of Riau's heroes
\nlike Tuanku Tambusai, Raja Ali Haji or Sultan Syarief Qasim
\nbecause it would have a historical value. But Hartono?\" another
\nlocal said. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gen-hartono-the-undesirable-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}