Army chief lashes out at bickering politicians

Army chief lashes out at bickering politicians

JAKARTA (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
lashed out on Friday at bickering civilian politicians, who he
said were grabbing power with utter disregard of the negative
repercussions for the nation.

Endriartono said political leaders in the country were
currently consumed with attaining power.

"What has come to the fore is how to get power. One statement
after the other comes out that is not enlightening (but
confusing)," Endriartono was quoted by Antara news agency as
saying.

"The results of this situation are felt in (failed) efforts to
revive the economy and a worsening of the security situation,"
Endriartono said while addressing students at the Staff and
Command College in Bandung.

"It is under this situation that TNI (the Indonesian
Military), even though it has asserted its commitment not to
enter practical politics, is still viewed as a primary political
force ... (even though) we are in a distressed situation," he
said.

Endriartono, who assumed his current post a month ago, called
for a commitment by all political components of the nation to
lift the country out of its dire situation by putting national
interests above personal and group interests.

He also warned that a joint commitment was necessary given the
rising threat of the disintegration of the unitary state due to
increased demands for independence, which he said were spurned
by economic interests and disparities between the central
government and the regions.

People in regions rich in natural resources, such as Irian
Jaya, Aceh and Riau, want to enhance their welfare, but feel the
central government has ignored them. Therefore, they have became
eager for independence, Endriartono, a 1971 graduate of the Armed
Forces Academy, said.

"Reviving the economy has become a must if the country wants
to emerge from this messy situation. Economic recovery will have
a powerful influence on political and security stability,"
Endriartono said.

Addressing separatist demands in Irian Jaya and Aceh,
Endriartono said the military could only conduct operations based
on the decisions of politicians.

These decisions, which should be reached through cooperation
between the government and the House of Representatives, will
become the legal umbrella for TNI in taking concrete action to
defend the unitary state, Endriartono said.

"Furthermore, politicians prefer to use the police," he said,
adding that the military could only become directly involved if
an emergency situation was declared or if ordered by the
President, with the approval of the House.

"What we all need now is a declaration that this nation will
not tolerate any separatist activities. TNI by itself cannot make
such a declaration because we are not political decisionmakers,"
Endriartono said. (02)i