HR Dharsono buried with full military honors

HR Dharsono buried with full military honors

BANDUNG (JP): Hartono Rekso Dharsono, a soldier and diplomat
who became a staunch critic of the government, was buried with
full military honors at Sirnaraga civilian cemetery yesterday.

Dharsono, who was a lieutenant general when he retired from
the army, died of cancer yesterday morning at the Advent
Hospital. He would have turned 71 on June 10.

After taking part in the independence struggle of the 1940s,
his military career peaked when he became chief of the Siliwangi
Command in 1966-69 which is based here. It was while holding this
position that he helped to establish the New Order government
under President Soeharto.

He served as ambassador to Thailand (1969-1972) and to
Cambodia (1972-1975) and was secretary general of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations from 1976 to 1978.

After retiring from public life, he became one of President
Soeharto's staunchest critics. He paid a heavy price for this
when he was sent to jail on charges of subversion in 1984 for
addressing a series of clandestine meetings. He was freed in
1990.

If he was a controversial figure in his life, his death also
left a controversy yesterday as close friends and the military
squabbled over whether or not he was entitled to be buried at the
Heroes' Cemetery.

Lt. Gen. (ret.) Mashoedi, who was appointed by the Armed
Forces to lead the ceremony, said Dharsono forfeited his
entitlement to burial at the Heroes' Cemetery after his court
conviction.

"In all my years as soldier, I've never heard such a
regulation. It's ridiculous," said Solichin GP, the former
secretary for the supervision of development who was among many
people who went to Dharsono's residence to pay their last
respects.

Responding to the criticism, Mashoedi said he had read the
regulation before leaving home. "I can make copies of the
regulation if you want to see it."

The occasion also saw a rare gathering of senior Army
officers, including Siliwangi chief Maj. Gen. Tayo Tarmadi, and
leading critics of the government. Most notable among them were
Ali Sadikin, Abdul Haris Nasution and Soemitro -- all retired
generals -- and human rights campaigner Adnan Buyung Nasution.

"Pak Ton (as Dharsono was affectionately known by friends) was
a fighter and founder of the New Order. He also became a victim
of the New Order," Sadikin said in an emotionally charged
eulogy.

"He was not a traitor. He was a hero fighting for his goals,
first for independence, and later for the New Order. Nothing more
and nothing less," he said.

Sadikin balked when Tayo tried to calm him, but his eulogy was
cut short in any case when the sound system broke down.

Tayo explained later that it was the wish of the family to
have Dharsono buried at Sirnaraga as he wanted to be close to his
relatives.

He said the military honors were given because he was a highly
respected Siliwangi figure. "His biggest contribution was in
elevating the stature of Siliwangi."

Dharsono is survived by his wife and six children. (17/emb)

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