A message worth heeding

A message worth heeding

Retired Army General A.H. Nasution, who belongs to the
Indonesian Armed Forces's (ABRI) founding generation, has
conveyed a special message to ABRI's present generation. He asked
that the bond between ABRI and the people be preserved. It was
under the protection of the people, he said, that ABRI had been
able to grow strong. Without the people's support, ABRI would
mean nothing.

That important message is based on actual experience, gained
for the largest part during the war for independence. During that
period of fighting side by side with the common people, our
soldiers felt as if they were the people's children. That support
-- which consisted of not only moral and logistical support, but
physical protection as well -- was given freely and
spontaneously, and it laid the basis for our present concept of
people's warfare.

ABRI's younger generation obviously never personally
experienced our war for independence. For this reason, Gen.
Nasution's message is of great importance. The younger generation
of ABRI should not abandon the people.

-- Republika, Jakarta