Sukarno aide wants his good name back<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): An adjutant of first president Sukarno who
\nwas incarcerated for over a decade as a political prisoner is
\ndemanding that his good name be restored.<\/p>\n
Soekardjo Wilardjit, 71, told reporters at the Legal Aid
\nInstitute office here yesterday that he was imprisoned without
\ntrial between 1966 and 1978 and has since been denied his rights
\nas a retired lieutenant in the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
He recounted to reporters how he was arrested just minutes
\nafter Sukarno signed the historic March 11 letter at Bogor Palace
\nin West Java in 1966. The letter effectively gave Soeharto a
\nmandate to restore order in the country.<\/p>\n
His legal councillor, Budi Hartono, said they had sent a
\nletter to the Armed Forces Chief of Socio-Political Affairs,
\ndemanding that Soekardjo be cleared of charges of involvement
\nwith the now banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).<\/p>\n
\"As a veteran, our client should be entitled to his pension
\ndating back to the day he was arrested in 1966,\" Budi added.<\/p>\n
Soekardjo said yesterday that he witnessed the famous letter
\nbeing signed and contended that Sukarno was forced to put pen to
\npaper at gunpoint.<\/p>\n
He said that at the time he was assigned as a bodyguard to
\nSukarno and was on duty when four generals -- the late Maj. Gen.
\nBasuki Rahmat, the late Maj. Gen. M. Panggabean, the late Maj.
\nGen. Amir Mahmud, and Maj. Gen. (ret) M. Jusuf -- arrived at the
\npalace carrying a light red folder and demanded to see Sukarno.<\/p>\n
Soekardjo said he knocked on Sukarno's bedroom door and
\nmoments later the first president emerged in casual dress to meet
\nthe four officers.<\/p>\n
\"Gen. M. Yusuf pushed forward the light red folder which
\ncontained a letter which had to be signed,\" he recounted.<\/p>\n
After a brief conversation between them, Soekardjo then
\nclaimed that he saw Rahmat and Panggabean draw and cock FN 46
\npistols and aimed it at Sukarno's chest.<\/p>\n
\"At that moment I too reached for my pistol because I was
\nresponsible for the president's safety. But Sukarno told me to
\ncalm down and proceeded to sign the letter,\" said Soekardjo, who
\nclaimed to be standing about three meters behind Sukarno at the
\ntime.<\/p>\n
According to Soekardjo, Sukarno turned to him after the four
\ngenerals had left and said: \"I have to leave the palace, and you
\n(Soekardjo) must be very careful\".<\/p>\n
\"At that very moment,\" recounted Soekardjo, \"I asked myself is
\nthis what's called a coup d'etat?\"<\/p>\n
He said that about 30 minutes later all security guards at the
\npalace were arrested. \"I never had a chance to talk to Bung Karno
\nagain after that.\" (23\/44)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sukarno-aide-wants-his-good-name-back-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}