ABRI hails Habibie's state address

ABRI hails Habibie's state address

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) top brass greeted with
grace President B.J. Habibie's assertion yesterday that the
military had to undergo reform, calling the stance realistic and
future-oriented.

Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto said the military was
ready for some political power-sharing, while Armed Forces Chief
of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
admitted that the "security approach" was now obsolete.

In his first state of the nation address yesterday, Habibie
said rank and file reforms of the Armed Forces had and were being
exercised in a serious, conceptual and systematic fashion.

"His address was quite realistic for the present situation and
for the future, especially the part on how to respond to the
reform spirit," Susilo told reporters.

He also supported Habibie's statement that the Armed Forces
should instead develop prosperity-oriented and democratic
approaches to state and security affairs.

However, Susilo said the campaign for stability should not be
abandoned. "What's most important is that the campaign for
stability does not hamper the spirit... for democratization," he
said.

Responding to Habibie's statement that the Armed Forces should
scale back its sociopolitical role, Wiranto said: "We are ready
for political power-sharing with other sociopolitical elements."

Other parts of Habibie's speech, especially on human rights
promotion, also received a warm welcome.

United Development Party (PPP) chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum
lauded Habibie because he apologized for the various rights
violations committed by the state apparatuses in the past.

"The apology is good for the nation, at least it can lessen
the grief of the relatives of the victims (of rights
violations)," said Ismail, who hails from Aceh, where massive
rights violations have taken place over the last few years.

The deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human
Rights, Marzuki Darusman, also praised Habibie for the public
apology.

"An apology is a symbol of admission that the security
approach in the past was a fundamental mistake," Marzuki said.

However, he said apologies were not enough, and called on the
government to make the alleged perpetrators of human rights
violations answer for their actions in a court of law.

Overall, he considered Habibie's speech "realistic" and that
"it touched upon substantial problems in society."

Several foreign envoys also hailed Habibie's state address,
noting that self-confidence, national unity and resilience were
key to solutions to Indonesia's problems.

Iraqi Ambassador Sa'doon J. Al Zubaidi told reporters after
the annual state function that Habibie's speech covered social,
political and economical aspects of life of Indonesians.

"President Habibie's speech was very comprehensive," he said,
as quoted by Antara yesterday.

He suggested that unity and self-esteem as well as stability
were important for Indonesia to overcome its economic crisis.

"We want Indonesia to be strong, stable and successful because
the success of Indonesia is the success for all Arab (countries)
and Moslems in general," he said.

In his 45-page address, Habibie suggested the importance of
straightening the country's financial institutions, including
efforts to settle private sector debts, create efficient and
competitive economic system and promote openness and transparency
in the state administration and also in business management.

Ambassador Sa'doon also called on the nation to maintain
unity, saying: "A divided Indonesia is not only bad for
Indonesians but also for the region. It's only good for
Indonesia's enemies."

"A united Indonesia is good for Indonesia, for the region and
for the developing world," he said.

Sudanese Ambassador Hassan Gadelkarim shared the view of his
Iraqi counterpart.

He called on Indonesians not to fall into a long period of
misery, but to start working hard and hand-in-hand as one nation.

"We want the Indonesian people not to be worried about the
crisis, as they can overcome all their problems through national
resilience and unity," Hassan said.

Swedish Ambassador Mikael Lindstrom expressed his confidence
in the Indonesian Armed Forces' likely success to restore
stability and security.

"Now, Indonesia is fairly safe. There is no reason for
foreigners to hesitate to come to Indonesia," he said.

"Well, I have just come back from my own country. I told
people I met that Indonesia is a very good country for tourism,
with very nice people to deal with," he added. (imn/byg)