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.