ABRI holds dialog with youth leaders
ABRI holds dialog with youth leaders
JAKARTA (JP): Amid strong rejection by university students
over a military-sponsored dialog, Armed Forces (ABRI) chief Gen.
Wiranto opened a dialog with leaders of 32 youth organizations
Saturday.
The dialog, co-organized by the office of the Ministry of
Youth Affairs and Sports and the Armed Forces headquarters,
discussed various issues which had repeatedly been aired by the
students: sweeping economical and political reforms and the
establishment of clean and credible governance.
"There should not be any discrepancy among elements of the
nation, including its youths and its students, in viewing the
monetary crisis and seeking solutions for the nation's survival,"
Wiranto said when opening the dialog.
"Just as if we (the nation) were sailing an ocean of crisis,
we have to maintain unity to weather the huge waves.
"We (the government) need everybody's wisdom, patience and
trust because we are serious in our commitment to bring the
nation out of the crisis," he said.
Seventy-nine people representing the 32 organizations under
the umbrella of the Indonesian National Youth Committee attended
Saturday's dialog.
The Armed Forces chief called on all elements of society to
share opinions in an all-out effort to settle the crisis.
Wiranto said he would continue with his plan to hold dialogs
with the students because the nation needs their input.
"Through dialogs, we can have a better understanding of our
respective positions and visions on efforts to survive the
crisis. This will create an extraordinary strength if
synergized," he said.
However, he reiterated warnings that student rallies should
not flow off campus, arguing that it would merely add to the
already complicated situation.
Wiranto also reminded students not to turn to violence and
infringe on social and legal norms when voicing their
aspirations.
"There is no compromise against violent and unethical
expressions for reforms by the students... university campuses
are not an exclusive enclave exempted from the law," he warned.
He dismissed the possibility of sudden and radical reforms,
saying that they would only create social and security
disturbances.
Speaking of the strong military presence at several campuses
each time students held a rally, Wiranto said they were there to
prevent the students from being "contaminated" by irresponsible
elements. He did not elaborate.
He claimed that the Armed Forces has already identified "a
third party's" involvement in some student demonstrations. He
declined to elaborate.
On Thursday, Wiranto insisted that a planned dialog with
university students would be held sooner or later.
"Dialog with the students is not a matter of like or dislike,
or want and not want. It must be held in a bid to forge a common
perception of the prolonged economic crisis," he said.
A planned dialog with Wiranto organized by a group of former
student leaders of the 1966 generation fell through last month
after university students rejected the invitation.
On-campus rallies at various universities in Jakarta,
Yogyakarta and Bandung in West Java, Medan in North Sumatra,
Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi and Lampung and Padang in West
Sumatra in the past two months have brought the specter of the
student movement to the forefront.
Controversy
Despite being attended by organizations which are largely
perceived to be supportive of the government, Saturday's dialog
was still plagued by controversy because several youths due to
attend came but refused to enter the meeting room.
"As an expression of solidarity with fellow university
students who are not invited to this dialog, we have decided not
to take part," Riza Primahendra, chairman of the Catholic
Students Movement, told reporters at the Ministry of Youth
Affairs' office lobby, where the dialog was held.
Riza, who only received an invitation to attend the dialog on
Thursday, said the government should not have ignored the
students' presence.
"We (students) are not part of the problems. We're part of the
solution," he said.
During the dialog, Wiranto was accompanied by Armed Forces
Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, Armed Forces Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul
Razi, Chief of the Armed Forces' Intelligence Body Maj. Gen.
Zacky Anwar Makarim and Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. A.
Wahab Mokodongan.
Also present as observers were the rector of the state
National Institute of Administration, Ryaas Rasyid,
constitutional law expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra and military
analyst Salim Said.
In a related development, Central Java Governor Soewardi said
Saturday that he would be willing to meet local students in a
dialog if requested.
But he urged students to come as a single collective group.
"I am afraid that I won't have the time to meet all individual
groups," he said.
Meanwhile, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Lt.
Gen. Syarwan Hamid called on the government not to ignore the
students' aspirations.
"They (students) might be amateurs. But they know the people's
characters very well," he said. (aan/23/45/43/rms/imn)