ABRI reaches where others cannot

ABRI reaches where others cannot

By Ridwan M. Sijabat

PURWAKARTA, West Java (JP): The Armed Forces' civic mission,
popularly known as ABRI Masuk Desa (ABRI enters villages), has
been re-oriented towards developing poor rural villages which
private contractors have neglected.

Yesterday, the military dedicated infrastructure projects,
including a bridge and roads in four villages in this city, which
it built together with the local population.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar met with the
troopers involved in the project and congratulated them on a job
well done.

The projects, worth Rp 1.47 billion (US$680,000), involved the
labor of 500 troopers and around 600 local villagers.

Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar and State Minister
of Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, who were present
at the ceremony, said they were encouraged by these projects
which brought development to isolated areas.

"Such projects would have absorbed huge funds and taken a long
time if they had been carried out by private contractors,"
Radinal commented.

The Ministry of Public Works now is also working with ABRI to
build similar projects in Kalimantan and Irian Jaya, he added.

ABRI is involved in the construction of a highway linking
Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan with Pontianak in West
Kalimantan. It is also taking part in the Trans-Irian road
project linking Merauke in the south with Jayapura in the north.

Ginandjar, who is also the chairman of the National
Development Planning Board (Bappenas), said the program is very
effective in helping the least developed villages in the country.

"With the infrastructure project, the economies of the
villages are expected to improve."

Foreign aid

Bappenas has estimated that the 26 million Indonesians
classified as living below the poverty line are scattered in some
20,000 villages across the archipelago. The government's campaign
to eradicate poverty is now being concentrated in these villages.

Ginandjar said his office is considering applying for foreign
aid to help finance ABRI's civic mission in remote areas.

Gen. Wismoyo commended highly the enthusiasm of the local
people in working side by side with troopers.

"It is almost unbelievable that the local people, most of whom
are living below the poverty line, have given up a part of their
land, and even their houses, for the road project," he said.

Syarief Hidayat, a villager whose house was affected by the
road construction, said he had no qualms whatsoever because it
was in the interest of the entire village.

"I am proud that we are now connected with the town. Many
vehicles, especially passenger buses, can now reach our village,"
he said.