ABRI urged to join reform movement

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)