Reconciliation in the air<\/p>\n
Abdul Haris Nasution, Hoegeng Imam Santoso and Ali Sadikin --
\nthree familiar names in the government and the military in the
\n1960s and 1970s -- are making news again this month. They
\nvirtually disappeared from public life when they were ostracized
\nby the government in the 1980s and much of the 1990s because of
\ntheir political views. Judging by recent official attitudes, all
\nseem to have been forgiven as they, at least Nasution and
\nHoegeng, have started making public appearances again.<\/p>\n
Gen. (ret.) Nasution, the first Army chief of staff after
\nIndonesia's independence in 1945, and the most senior surviving
\nArmy officer, made appearances at two separate military functions
\nlast month. The first was when he and dozens of other retired
\nofficers were given awards by the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nin recognition of their role in setting up the Badan Keamanan
\nRakyat (People's Defense Agency), the precursor to ABRI, in the
\n1940s. The second was when he attended the ceremony for the
\ntransfer of duty of the Army chief of staff from Gen. R. Hartono
\nto Gen. Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Gen. (ret.) Hoegeng attended Bhayangkara Day for the 51st
\nanniversary of the National Police this week, marking his return
\nafter many years of being excluded by the force he once led.<\/p>\n
Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Arief Kushariadi said publicly that
\nhe was considering inviting Sadikin, a retired marine lieutenant
\ngeneral and former Jakarta governor, to the next major function
\nin his force, Armada Day in November.<\/p>\n
Maybe it is too early to suggest that a reconciliation between
\nthe government and its most staunchest critics is finally in the
\nair. But many people are hoping for this. At the very least,
\nthese \"old soldiers\" no longer seem to be ostracized and are now
\nbeing included in the official guest list of various military
\nfunctions. This is a good start toward reconciliation, if that is
\nindeed the intention.<\/p>\n
Remarks by active military officers have also been
\nencouraging. ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen.
\nSyarwan Hamid has suggested holding a dialog between the
\ngovernment and its critics as a way of building democracy. Adm.
\nArief, when talking about Sadikin this week, said: \"In principle,
\nthe Navy respects all its seniors.\"<\/p>\n
The rift between some retired officers and those in active
\nduty has been a sore point in the military's history. In bygone
\ndays it would have been unimaginable that the military would turn
\nits back on its seniors, many with fine records of dedication to
\nthe nation. The pejorative term \"disgruntled has-beens\" often
\nused in the past by officials to describe these former officers
\nis unfair, especially today. Now in their 70s, and in poor health
\nas in Nasution's case, they no longer nurse any personal
\nambitions, if they had any in the first place when they
\nscathingly criticized the government. Any expression of concern
\nthey make today is based on their concern for the nation and its
\nfuture. In any event, we live in the 1990s now, an era where
\ndifferences of opinion should be tolerated, if not respected.<\/p>\n
In 1992, there was a similar attempt to bring about a
\nreconciliation with these critics when State Minister of Research
\nand Technology B.J. Habibie invited them to visit strategic
\nindustries he ran. But nothing came of it.<\/p>\n
Now the atmosphere is ripe for another attempt. A dialog, as
\nsuggested by Syarwan, would be the right forum to bring
\ndifferences of opinions out in the air, and to work together
\ntoward a common objective: the welfare of the nation.<\/p>\n
Old soldiers may never die, but it would be a tragedy for the
\nnation if it did not give them the chance to voice their opinions
\nand their words of wisdom, before they fade away from public
\nlife, forever.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reconciliation-in-the-air-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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