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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