ABRI ready to hunt for communists

ABRI ready to hunt for communists

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI), if asked, is ready to
conduct screening operations to weed out leftist elements from
all political parties.

ABRI Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said here over the weekend
that such an investigation is always possible if it is based on
good intentions and dedicated to greater national interests.

Feisal, who met newsmen after delivering a speech at the
meeting of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals,
was asked to react to a recent statement made by Megawati
Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI). In the statement, Megawati said that all political
entities in Indonesia should be subjected to military examination
in order to screen for the presence of pro-communist elements.

Suspicion of harboring communist elements should not be
limited to the PDI alone and "Golkar and PPP should also undergo
military screening," Megawati said.

The West Java military command announced before the year's end
their suspicions of a local PDI leader's involvement -- directly
or indirectly -- in the attempted communist coup of 1965.

Djadjang Kurniadi, a PDI activist, was recently identified as
a member of the pro-communist camp within the Indonesian
Nationalist Party (PNI). PNI, in addition to two Christian
groupings and other minor nationalist parties, merged into the
PDI in 1973.

Feisal said that Megawati should bring up her idea in the
House of Representatives. "ABRI will only act upon a government
request," he said.

Meanwhile Golkar chairman Harmoko said in Salatiga on Saturday
that his government-backed party does not need military screening
as it is free from communist elements.

Harmoko told reporters after a meeting with local Golkar
activists in Salatiga that the recruiting system within his party
is fine and that Golkar always consults the local military and
the provincial directorate of political affairs before accepting
a member.

Asked if any leftist elements remained in his party, Harmoko
replied: "We are convinced there are none." (tis)