Gus Dur to increase welfare of TNI in exchange to loyalty

By Ahmad Junaidi

MALANG, East Java (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid promised on Monday to improve the welfare of Indonesia Military (TNI) personnel in exchange for their loyalty to the government.

"We are committed to immediately increasing TNI's welfare, and in return we ask TNI to uphold its loyalty to the state, which is represented by the government," Abdurrahman said while addressing 312 middle and high-ranking Army officers at Commanders Call 2000.

A number of senior Army officers attended the meeting at the Army's air defense training center in Karang Ploso subdistrict here. They included Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto, Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah and the commander of the Army's Education and Training Center, Lt. Gen. A. Sembiring.

The Army's Special Force (Kopassus) Commander Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaini, the operational assistant to the Army chief, Maj. Gen. Syahrir M.S., and all regional military commanders were also on hand for this unprecedented gathering, which comes just two weeks before the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

Normally, a commanders call takes place within each Army unit.

The President was accompanied by TNI Commander Adm. Widodo A.S., National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo, Minister of Forestry and Plantations Nurmahmudi Ismail, State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Zarkasih Noor and former vice president and Army chief Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno.

Another former Army chief, Gen. (ret) Wismoyo Arismunandar, arrived later in the day. The gathering will last until Wednesday.

During his speech, the President said the government would provide TNI with proper equipment as soon as the country's battered economy recovered.

"It's sad that TNI still has very old equipment as if we lived in the Majapahit era," Abdurrahman said, referring to the ancient kingdom based in East Java.

"It is unfair to give TNI personnel the daunting job of protecting the country while they are still using old equipment and their welfare is low," he stated.

Abdurrahman said because the government was committed to increasing the welfare of TNI personnel and providing them with proper equipment, TNI must improve its loyalty and professionalism.

The President asserted a professional soldier was one who obeyed his or her commander. "I hope there are no more groupings in the Army. I'm not going to listen to it."

Abdurrahman urged TNI to support the government's diplomatic efforts to deal with threats to the nation's unity, such as the problems in the volatile provinces of Aceh, Maluku and Irian Jaya. "The government has chosen negotiation rather than the force. I hope TNI and the police will stand behind this decision."

Concerning the ongoing proindependence movement in Irian Jaya, the President urged the military to tolerate people who raised the Morning Star separatist flag as long as it was hoisted lower than the national flag.

"Let them hoist the flag. But after the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly, there should be no more (Morning Star) flags raised," he said.

When asked why the Commanders Call was being held just weeks before the Assembly session, Tyasno said the meeting was merely a follow-up to the Army's recent leadership meeting.

"The meeting is aimed at uniting our vision and perception. It's commonly conducted in small groups," Tyasno said.

Commenting on the President's demand for TNI's loyalty, Tyasno said the military remained loyal to the unitary state of Indonesia, its people and government. "We pledge allegiance to the legitimate government."

Regarding the Assembly's annual session, Tyasno said TNI would remain true to its commitment not to interfere in practical politics. "Our politics are the politics that maintain the unity of the state."

Following the opening of the Commanders Call, the President presented a model of the Army's new soft-green uniform to TNI Commander Adm. Widodo A.S., who then presented it to Tyasno.

Abdurrahman also presented one of some 4,000 cows given to TNI as part of the efforts to increase the welfare of soldiers.

The cows, according to Tyasno, were jointly donated by the President and the Army's Kartika Eka Paksi Foundation.