ABRI urged to join reform movement
JAKARTA (JP): A group of retired generals and government critics appealed to the Armed Forces (ABRI) on Saturday to join the growing movement for political reform.
The group said in a meeting that the reform movement would not be successful without the Armed Forces' active involvement.
"Almost all sections society, except ABRI, have agreed on the need for thorough political reform in the country," said Lt. Gen. (ret.) Solichin G.P. during a break of a meeting held at former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin's residence in Central Jakarta.
Solichin, former secretary of development supervision and operation, said all sections of society had to support the calls for reform now being publicly voiced by university students across the archipelago.
"Such thorough reform is extremely urgent because it could quickly lift the nation out of the crisis," he told reporters.
"Therefore, the student calls for immediate and total reform should be fully supported," he added.
Calls for ABRI's active involvement in the reform movement first came from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) last month.
The 30-million-strong Moslem organization said in a statement that ABRI should protect and support public demands for government improvement.
"It's appropriate that ABRI become part of the reform movement," it said.
Speaking about the justification for immediate and total reform, Solichin said the government had failed to carry out a thorough development program.
"The government has failed to bring prosperity to the nation, while we (the nation) have spent a lot of our time and resources for the government-planned development program," he said.
He said that much of the people's efforts to build a better nation had been made in vain.
"We (the people) should not let the state leaders, who have failed to perform their duties well, continue their service," he said
He said it would be too late for the nation to wait until the next General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in 2003.
"The reforms should be made immediately by an extraordinary session of the Assembly," he said.
Asked about the role the Armed Forces could play in the reform movement, Solichin said ABRI should act as the constitutional supervisor of the movement.
"ABRI should make sure that the student movement for reform is genuine and will not be exploited by any political adventurers," he said.
He said that ABRI's top brass should be directly asked to support the student movement.
"All parties, especially senior (retired) military officials, have to persuade the Armed Forces leaders to support the student movement," he said.
Present at the meeting was host Ali Sadikin, former National Police chief Gen. (ret.) Hoegeng Imam Santoso, former Indonesian ambassador to the Philippines Lt. Gen. (ret.) Moersjid, leader of the new Indonesian Nationalists Party (PNI Baru) Supeni, economist Sri Edi Swasono and activists of the Petisi 50 group of government critics. (imn)