ABRI owes success to the people, Nasution says

ABRI owes success to the people, Nasution says

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) owes its existence and
its prominent position in the country today to the people, Gen.
(ret.) Abdul Haris Nasution says.

The military often claims credit for its role in ensuring
national unity, but this would not have been possible without the
people's support, Nasution, the most senior living ABRI officer,
said on Tuesday.

Nasution made the speech during a nostalgic return to the
Siliwangi Military Command headquarters in Bandung, an elite
division of the Army which he founded in the late 1940s.

The 75-year old former general was invited to attend
Siliwangi's 48th anniversary for the first time in 16 years in a
further signal of reconciliation between the government and one
of its most prominent critics.

Nasution was estranged from the government and the military
between the early 1970s until last year chiefly because of his
criticism of President Soeharto.

"It is in this success story that we see the significance of
being united with the people. Without their participation, ABRI
would not have been successful," said Nasution, who lead the
command in 1946-1948 at the height of the independence struggle.

Nasution rose in ranks in the military and the government,
reaching his career peak in the 1960s when he was minister of
defense.

Besides its role in the independence struggle, the Siliwangi
Command was also pivotal in putting down various rebellions in
the 1950s and 1960s.

The meeting was attended by five former Siliwangi chiefs
including A.E. Kawilarang, Dadang Suprajogi, Himawan Soetanto,
Edi Sudradjat (now minister of defense and security) and Maj. Gen
R. Nuriana.

H.R. Dharsono, another former Siliwangi chief, who like
Nasution has since fallen out of favor with Soeharto, was not
present because he is in Saudi Arabia for the haj pilgrimage.

Social Project

Nasution said the Siliwangi command contributed many of the
doctrines that are now widely used by ABRI.

It was also this command which first introduced the social
work projects for the military which is now popularly referred to
as ABRI's Village Improvement Program (AMD).

"The aim of the operation at that time was primarily to thank
the people of West Java for helping to save the region
from separatist rebellions," Nasution said.

Nasution was also the one who coined Siliwangi's maxim esa
hilang dua terbilang (two emerge as one falls) and the maxim
'Siliwangi is West Java people and West Java people are
Siliwangi.'

The first slogan, according to Nasution, aims to motivate ABRI
members to improve their service and keep the unity with the
people so that people can take the benefit of their dedication.
(prs)