ABRI marks 52nd anniversary

ABRI marks 52nd anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) celebrated
yesterday its 52nd anniversary with President Soeharto, in his
capacity as its Supreme Commander, ordering the forces to make
every effort to safeguard the general session of the People's
Consultative Assembly next March.

In his speech, Soeharto reminded ABRI that it was obliged to
guarantee that the assembly proceed smoothly and safely as the
gathering was to determine the future of the nation.

"Together with other governmental ranks and the people,
create a conducive atmosphere to enable the supreme state body to
discuss various national issues and to make decisions on the
nation's direction for the next five years," he said.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is expected in March
to elect a president, vice president and to endorse the State
Policy Guidelines for the 1998/2003 period.

Soeharto also warned yesterday that the nation could face more
violent social unrest in the future and reiterated that ABRI
would need to use more persuasive, rather than repressive,
approaches to handle the problems.

"ABRI realizes that not all problems of security disturbances
can be resolved by a security approach alone," Soeharto said at
the ceremony, which was held at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base
in East Jakarta.

ABRI has been lauded for its handling of last month's riot in
Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi. At least five were killed in the
riots which broke out after a reportedly insane ethnic Chinese
man killed a nine-year-old Moslem girl. During the riots the
troops refrained from resorting to military measures.

A spate of unrest, pitting different religions and ethnic
groups against each other, has also rocked many Indonesian cities
over the past two years.

"We still can not identify precisely the root of the
intergroup conflicts. At the same time we must ensure that such
social upheavals will not happen again in the future," Soeharto,
who wore a uniform decorated with the five-star emblem he was
awarded last Wednesday by the Armed Forces, said.

The President said some of the sources of conflict could only
be detected after violence had broken out, often triggered by
trivial matters.

"ABRI needs to evaluate the forms of this new threat... it
needs to develop all necessary policies, strategies, systems and
procedures to prevent and counter the threat," he remarked.

The President also praised ABRI's sincerity for its readiness
to receive limited budgets for years as most of the budget had
been allocated to improve people's welfare.

"As a force of fighters, ABRI is even ready to receive used
military equipments," he said.

The Navy had just received the first two of five submarines
last month, which Indonesia had ordered from Germany after they
were used in the Baltic Sea. In 1994, Indonesia bought 39 ships
previously used by the former East Germany.

"ABRI prioritizes the nation's interest rather than its own
interests," he said.

According to the "White Book" on the country's policy on
security and defense, issued by the Ministry of Defense and
Security Affairs in May this year, Indonesia's budget on defense
and security averages only 1.8 percent of its Gross Domestic
Products (GDP) -- the smallest outlay among the members of the
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Indonesia spends an average of US$2.3 billion per year, lower
than Thailand's $3.5 billion and Singapore's $3 billion.

Parade

President Soeharto received a warm round of applause from
those present when he climbed aboard a jeep and started
inspecting rows of 9,000 servicemen and women from the Army,
Navy, Air Force and National Police, groups of veterans, student
regiments, and public servants.

Soeharto nodded in response to the applause.

Carrying his command baton, the President was accompanied by
the ceremony's commander Maj. Gen. Suharto, who is also Commander
of the Navy's Marine Corps.

Seen on the dais were Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
and the chiefs of staff of the Army, Navy, Air Force and National
Police.

Also present at the ceremony was Gen. (ret) Abdul Haris
Nasution in his uniform with its honorary five-stars which he
also received on Wednesday.

The children of the late president Sukarno -- Megawati
Soekarnoputri, Rachmawati Soekarnoputri and Guruh Soekarnoputra,
also attended.

The ceremony was capped off with, among other things, an
aerobatics display by six of the Air Force's Hawk MK-53 jet
fighters from the Yogyakarta Adisucipto Air Base. (imn/prb)

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