Marine Corps win over the heart of the people<\/p>\n
By Ridwan Max Sijabat<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Many people's respect for the Armed Forces
\n(ABRI) slumped to its nadir on Friday when troops opened fire on
\npeaceful student demonstrators, killing more than a dozen people.<\/p>\n
The purple-bereted Marine Corps is the conspicous exception in
\nthis loss of public faith. Marines were the only ones that mobs
\nrespected enough to allow them to restore some semblance of order
\nin the chaotic scenes sweeping Jakarta on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Students and residents alike hailed them with shouts of \"Long
\nlive the Marines!\" as they replaced the much-detested Army troops
\nand police officers around the Semanggi cloverleaf in South
\nJakarta, the scene of the most violent clash.<\/p>\n
Students offered marines a share of their cookies, mineral
\nwater and lunch boxes when they took a break from their
\ndemonstrations. They chatted amicably even as marines continued
\nto keep the students at bay from the House of
\nRepresentatives\/People's Consultative Assembly building, the
\nplace they had sought to reach all week.<\/p>\n
Some people still remember that it was also Marine Corps which
\nwon over the public through its persuasive approach during the
\nunrest of July 27, 1996, and the mid-May riots this year.<\/p>\n
\"They appear more human to me compared to other ABRI units,\"
\none Jakartan said.<\/p>\n
Along with more than 80,000 security personnel from other
\nforces, about 4,100 marines were deployed to handle last week's
\nstudent demonstrations against the Special Session of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly and President B.J. Habibie's
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Suharto, Marine Corps commander general, told The
\nJakarta Post in an interview on Saturday that his 12,000-
\npersonnel did not embark on a deliberate strategy to win people's
\nhearts.<\/p>\n
Instead, the force consistently observes the military doctrine
\nand territorial approach.<\/p>\n
\"All marines have been told to be friendly and kind in their
\ntreatment of the students. They are part of the people, who are
\nunarmed and not enemies...\"<\/p>\n
He said no members of his corps were involved in the shooting
\nof students during the worst violence on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"We complied with the instruction from the police that no
\nshooting on the spot was allowed. And Marine Corps personnel
\nfired no bullets during the clashes. I know this precisely
\nbecause I was the commander in charge aa the scene.\"<\/p>\n
Witnesses said marines helped students give first aid to
\nvictims of the clash and took them to hospitals.<\/p>\n
\"This is part of our mission to help restore order and to
\nrestore calm in tense situations,\" he said. \"Students know that
\nwe have different opinions and stance over the Special Session
\nbut they are also aware of our tasks.\"<\/p>\n
Suharto, 53, emphasized that his personnel understood their
\nrole.<\/p>\n
\"If they are in an enemy's territory, they must use their
\nguns. But if they are deployed in territorial operations, a
\nhumane and educative approach must be used instead.<\/p>\n
\"They must not make mistakes. They will be punished for any
\nerrors committed.\"<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Maj. Bambang Hullianto, a marine battalion
\ncommander deployed near the Assembly building, as saying that he
\nand his men had been ordered not to load their weapons.<\/p>\n
\"No rubber bullets, no blanks. There's no bullet in our
\nweapons,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"It's patience,\" he replied when asked to define the marines'
\nstrategy to quell people's rage. \"We are fortunate because the
\nstudents helped us to protect some police officers being chased
\nby the mobs.<\/p>\n
\"We don't have any problems with students. What's important
\nfor us is that students carry out their activities in an orderly
\nmanner, so all we have to do is maintain security.\"<\/p>\n
Suharto said the Marine Corps, which postponed indefinitely
\nthe formal celebration of its 53rd anniversary on Sunday due to
\nthe chaotic situation in the capital, was tightly bound to the
\nduel role of the Armed Forces (ABRI) in defense and politics.<\/p>\n
\"Our main task is to defend the country and maintain stability
\nand we must be professional in his field... Our role in politics
\nfocuses on territorial operations and civic works aimed at
\nimproving the people's social welfare.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI, including the Marine Corps, is part of the people and
\ncomes from the people. We are born in the Armed Forces and Navy
\nfor the good of the people.\"<\/p>\n
Suharto disavowed that the Navy's elite force had ambitions to
\nplay a role in the national political arena, stating its main
\ntask was in defense of the state and improving people's welfare.<\/p>\n
\"We would consider positions in politics only if asked. And we
\nhave never begged for political positions.\"<\/p>",
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