Wiranto meets numerous senior ABRI veterans<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces
\n(ABRI) Chief Gen. Wiranto on Friday held a meeting with a number
\nof retired generals, including those known to be critical of the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
The meeting was closed to the press and held at the Armed
\nForces Merdeka Barat headquarters in Central Jakarta. Among the
\nattendants were former vice president Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno,
\nformer minister of defense Gen. (ret) Leonardus Benjamin
\nMoerdani, former minister of home affairs Gen. (ret) Rudini and
\nformer national police chief Gen. (ret) Awaloeddin Djamin.<\/p>\n
Also attending were former navy chief of staff Adm. (ret)
\nTanto Kuswanto, former envoy to the United States Lt. Gen. Hasnan
\nHabib, former chief of the state intelligence coordinating body
\nLt. Gen (ret) Moetojib, former chief of the Udayana regional
\nmilitary command Maj. Gen. (ret) Theo Syafei, former chiefs of
\nABRI intelligence agency Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsir Siregar and Lt.
\nGen. (ret) Arie Sudewo, and former governor of the National
\nResilience Institute Lt. Gen. (ret) Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Wiranto was accompanied by Army Chief of Staff Gen.
\nSubagyo Hadisiswoyo, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Widodo A.S.,
\nNational Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi, Governor of the
\nNational Resilience Institute Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar, National
\nMilitary Police Chief Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin, ABRI Spokesman
\nMaj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif and former Jakarta military commander
\nMaj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Thursday evening, President B.J. Habibie separately
\nmet Try Sutrisno and former minister of defense and security Gen.
\n(ret) Edi Sudradjat. They reportedly discussed efforts to calm
\nthe situation down after last week's incident which killed 15
\npeople and injured hundreds of others mainly at the Semanggi
\ncloverleaf in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
After the two-hour meeting, Try Sutrisno said the agenda had
\nincluded efforts to maintain good relations between Armed Forces
\nheadquarters and the Armed Forces Big Family.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that ABRI and the Armed Forces Big Family will always
\nbe able to communicate with ABRI leaders and provide as many
\ninputs as possible so that ABRI officers can perform their duties
\nwell,\" he said. Try said the meeting concluded that ABRI would
\nremain committed to the continuing existence of the Republic of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
He, however, declined to comment on whether the meeting also
\ndiscussed the treason charges against signatories of a joint
\ncommunique by several government critics, including National
\nFront opposition group leader Lt. Gen. (ret) Achmad Kemal Idris
\nand National Reform Movement leading figure Maj. Gen. (ret)
\nHariadi Dharmawan. Edi Sudradjat is also a Front member.<\/p>\n
Also on Friday, some 20 women grouped under the Indonesian
\nWomen's Action Front, led by rights activist Yeni Rosa Damayanti,
\nprotested against ABRI's dual function in front of the defense
\nministry office and marched to the Hotel Indonesia roundabout.<\/p>\n
Dressed in black, the women sang modified versions of
\nlullabies and asked women along the street to join them. \"The
\ntermination of ABRI Dwifungsi (dual political-military role)
\ncannot be bargained anymore,\" Yeni said. Their posters among
\nothers read \"Stop Military Violence\" and \"Iron Fist is not
\nDemocracy.\"<\/p>\n
Separately, United States assistant secretary of state Harold
\nKoh said here on Friday that Washington would like to see the
\nIndonesian military weaning itself away from its controversial
\nrole in the country's political life.<\/p>\n
\"Efforts to move towards an end of Dwifungsi have to be
\nsupported and applauded,\" Koh, who is assistant secretary of
\nstate for democracy and human rights told a media conference
\nhere, AFP said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian students want an immediate termination of the
\nmilitary's political role, while several opposition politicians
\nand the legislatures have suggested a more gradual phase out.<\/p>\n
\"We are moving into a new era where this role had to be
\nreduced,\" said Koh, who added that he had discussed the issue in
\ntalks here Thursday and Friday with representatives of the
\nIndonesian Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
\"This reform is now necessary to bring a new era of
\ndemocracy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Koh also said he was encouraged by enquiries now under way
\ninto past human rights abuses, and compared them to the Truth and
\nJustice Commission in South Africa, a process which he said
\ngenerally contributed to confidence.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI is committed to such investigations...I hope the
\ncommitment will be carried out,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Koh, who took his oath of office only last week, said it was
\nhis first visit to Indonesia, and that his main mission here had
\nbeen to get acquainted with the country.<\/p>\n
He said he had met representatives of human rights groups,
\nlabor unions, and some high military officials. (imn\/edt)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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