ABRI must regain spirit of solidarity

ABRI must regain spirit of solidarity

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) must get back the
spirit of solidarity it once had with the people back in 1949,
when ABRI repelled Dutch military forces, P.J. Suwarno said
yesterday.

The historian suggested that today's 47th commemoration of the
March 1 attack is a good time for ABRI to reflect on whether or
not its commitment to defend the common people is still as strong
and unflinching.

The history lecture at Sanata Dharma Catholic University said
that past ABRI-civilian relations were built on "genuine love and
solidarity" for a common goal: defending independence.

"Are present-day ABRI members who have enjoyed respectable
positions in the bureaucracy and in society still in touch with
the war time solidarity with the ordinary people?" said Suwarno,
who is also known as a political columnist.

"If they are, they should dedicate themselves to the interests
of the people who would have sacrificed anything to make the
struggle for independence a success."

ABRI members, he said, should not even think of siding with a
particular group or turn their back on others.

Under the Dwi Fungsi (or Dual Function) doctrine, the military
is regarded as a political force as well as a defense force.
While it has taken many political initiatives in the last 30
years, the military has eased its grip on national politics and
allowed civilian forces to take the leading role.

Suwarno said ABRI should also use its influence and power to
ensure that there is economic democracy in Indonesia and that
every citizen has an equal opportunity to do business.

If they do retain the March 1, 1949 spirit, the military
officers will not allow an economic structure that benefits only
a certain group of people, he said.

"ABRI nowadays should also combat injustices," he said,
stressing that the wealth gap in Indonesia remains large.

There are also injustices in the political field, he said,
with the government favoring Golkar over the other two minority
parties.

In terms of security, the Indonesian people are free of
external threats, but they regard law enforcement as poor, he
said, adding that the oppressed generally tend to lose their
legal battles against the powerful.

"If ABRI keeps the 1949 spirit, change for the better will
eventually come," he said.

Another historian from Gadjah Mada University, Djoko Suryo,
said the anniversary should inspire ABRI and the public to
revitalize solidarity.

"They should renew their commitment to working for the
welfare of the nation," he said.

President Soeharto is one of the young soldiers who survived
in the raid on March 1, 1949.

The event was a major turning point in the independence
struggle as it proved to the world that the young republican army
had the capability to strike back at the more powerful Dutch
army. (pan)