Release of political detainees exploited: ABRI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) claim that communists
\nare trying to use the release last August of well-known political
\ndetainees to make a comeback in the Indonesian political scene.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, assistant to ABRI chief of social and
\npolitical affairs, said in Surabaya on Saturday that there are
\nindications that communists have been very active since the
\ndetainees' release.<\/p>\n
The communists have been twisting historical facts and trying
\nto set one group against the other, he said after attending an
\nanniversary celebration of the Airlangga University.<\/p>\n
\"People should not be fooled into believing in their
\npropaganda, aimed at making the people and the government
\nsuspicious of one another,\" Syarwan said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
In August, in connection with Indonesia's 50th anniversary
\ncelebrations, President Soeharto extended clemency to three
\nprominent political detainees, Soebandrio, Raden Soegeng Soetarto
\nand Omar Dhani, on humanitarian grounds.<\/p>\n
Former deputy prime minister Soebandrio, former Air Force
\ncommander Omar Dhani and former police intelligence chief
\nSoetarto were convicted in connection with the 1965 attempted
\ncoup, which was blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).<\/p>\n
Senior ABRI leaders, including Armed Forces Commander Gen.
\nFeisal Tanjung, publicly supported President Soeharto's move,
\nwhich was also hailed from various other groups in society.<\/p>\n
On Saturday Syarwan reiterated ABRI's stand that the
\ngovernment has no intention of scaring people or being suspicious
\nof them with its repeated warnings about the latent danger of
\ncommunism and the \"formless organizations\" it says are
\ncampaigning to undermine the government.<\/p>\n
\"We want to remind the public that communists, with their
\npeculiar tactics, are there among us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On Friday, chief of the Brawijaya East Java military command,
\nMaj. Gen. Imam Utomo, announced that the authorities in various
\nareas in the province had confiscated objects which supported the
\ngovernment's warnings that communists are trying to make a
\ncomeback.<\/p>\n
Drawing<\/p>\n
In Mojokerto, Imam said, the authorities seized a hammer-and-
\nsickle drawing from a student in March, while in Situbondo, they
\nconfiscated a kite bearing the communist symbol.<\/p>\n
Provocative graffiti was also found on the walls of a junior
\nhigh school in Malang in March. It read \"The PKI is okay, son,\"
\n\"The PKI is okay, daughter\" and \"The PKI is okay, buddy,\"
\naccording to Utomo.<\/p>\n
In the communists' most recent operation, on Oct. 10, Utomo
\nsaid, a villager in Nganjuk painted the communist symbol on the
\nroof of his house. He added that, earlier this month, the
\nauthorities seized leaflets designed to provoke anti-government
\nsentiment in Blitar.<\/p>\n
Syarwan, who is a former ABRI spokesman, said the government
\nis well aware that the widening gap between rich and poor is the
\nroot cause of the various recent cases of violence in many parts
\nof Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said the brutal rape of the Acan family and the tragic
\nmurder of Rohadi family in Jakarta as well as the rioting in
\nquake-hit Jambi could be the work of people wanting to create
\nnegative image of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"It is difficult and needs time to overcome the problem of
\neconomic and social gaps. But I think we can begin with
\nvigilance,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He called on the public to use institutions like the
\nlegislative councils in their respective areas to make their
\ncomplaints, rather than holding street demonstrations.<\/p>\n
Demonstrations are example of activities which are easily used
\nby irresponsible people for their personal ends, he added. (pan)<\/p>",
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