Kopassus told to win back public support
Kopassus told to win back public support
JAKARTA (JP): The Army's Special Force (Kopassus) must be more
open to criticism if it wants to regain the public esteem and
support it once enjoyed, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto
said on Monday.
"Kopassus must be more receptive to criticism. Its presence is
still needed and, therefore, it must correct itself in order to
be loved and become close to the people," Tyasno said in a low-
key ceremony marking the elite force's 48th anniversary at its
Cijantung Headquarters in East Jakarta.
The anniversary comes as the force's reputation is at an all-
time low, tarnished by charges it was responsible for widespread
human rights abuses in recent years.
Among the VIPs in the grandstand were former Indonesian
Military chiefs Try Sutrisno, Edi Sudradjat, Feisal Tanjung and
Wiranto, and former Kopassus chiefs Wismoyo Arismunandar, Tarub
and Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar.
Tyasno said the force's personnel should continue their
intensive training activities to improve their professionalism
and correct their behavior in order to win the people's respect."
"Kopassus should be discerning in taking the criticism because
some of it was made with the intention to discredit the Army
while some of it was because of the people's affection for the
elite force."
Once highly regarded for its success in numerous military
operations, Kopassus' credibility was undermined by reports of
many human rights violations in Aceh, Irian Jaya, East Timor and
Jakarta.
Eleven Kopassus soldiers were convicted last year for their
involvement in the abduction of prodemocracy activists between
1996 and 1998 in Jakarta. Former Army Strategic Reserves Command
(Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, now in Jordan, was
discharged from military service for responsibility in the
abductions.
Former Kopassus chief Maj. Gen. Muchdi P. and Kopassus' 81
detachment Col. Chairawan, who were allegedly involved in the
case, have been demoted as senior and middle-ranking officers at
Army Headquarters without any portfolio.
Kopassus chief Maj. Sjahrir M.S. said the Army was conducting
an evaluation on whether it was necessary to revamp the elite
force's organization and reduce the number of its personnel,
currently numbering 6,000.
"The evaluation is still going on," he said after the
ceremony.
Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, who also attended the
ceremony, said recently that the number of Kopassus personnel
would be reduced to 5,300. (rms)