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)