Marine Corps win over the heart of the people

By Ridwan Max Sijabat

JAKARTA (JP): Many people's respect for the Armed Forces (ABRI) slumped to its nadir on Friday when troops opened fire on peaceful student demonstrators, killing more than a dozen people.

The purple-bereted Marine Corps is the conspicous exception in this loss of public faith. Marines were the only ones that mobs respected enough to allow them to restore some semblance of order in the chaotic scenes sweeping Jakarta on Saturday.

Students and residents alike hailed them with shouts of "Long live the Marines!" as they replaced the much-detested Army troops and police officers around the Semanggi cloverleaf in South Jakarta, the scene of the most violent clash.

Students offered marines a share of their cookies, mineral water and lunch boxes when they took a break from their demonstrations. They chatted amicably even as marines continued to keep the students at bay from the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly building, the place they had sought to reach all week.

Some people still remember that it was also Marine Corps which won over the public through its persuasive approach during the unrest of July 27, 1996, and the mid-May riots this year.

"They appear more human to me compared to other ABRI units," one Jakartan said.

Along with more than 80,000 security personnel from other forces, about 4,100 marines were deployed to handle last week's student demonstrations against the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly and President B.J. Habibie's government.

Maj. Gen. Suharto, Marine Corps commander general, told The Jakarta Post in an interview on Saturday that his 12,000- personnel did not embark on a deliberate strategy to win people's hearts.

Instead, the force consistently observes the military doctrine and territorial approach.

"All marines have been told to be friendly and kind in their treatment of the students. They are part of the people, who are unarmed and not enemies..."

He said no members of his corps were involved in the shooting of students during the worst violence on Friday.

"We complied with the instruction from the police that no shooting on the spot was allowed. And Marine Corps personnel fired no bullets during the clashes. I know this precisely because I was the commander in charge aa the scene."

Witnesses said marines helped students give first aid to victims of the clash and took them to hospitals.

"This is part of our mission to help restore order and to restore calm in tense situations," he said. "Students know that we have different opinions and stance over the Special Session but they are also aware of our tasks."

Suharto, 53, emphasized that his personnel understood their role.

"If they are in an enemy's territory, they must use their guns. But if they are deployed in territorial operations, a humane and educative approach must be used instead.

"They must not make mistakes. They will be punished for any errors committed."

Antara quoted Maj. Bambang Hullianto, a marine battalion commander deployed near the Assembly building, as saying that he and his men had been ordered not to load their weapons.

"No rubber bullets, no blanks. There's no bullet in our weapons," he said.

"It's patience," he replied when asked to define the marines' strategy to quell people's rage. "We are fortunate because the students helped us to protect some police officers being chased by the mobs.

"We don't have any problems with students. What's important for us is that students carry out their activities in an orderly manner, so all we have to do is maintain security."

Suharto said the Marine Corps, which postponed indefinitely the formal celebration of its 53rd anniversary on Sunday due to the chaotic situation in the capital, was tightly bound to the duel role of the Armed Forces (ABRI) in defense and politics.

"Our main task is to defend the country and maintain stability and we must be professional in his field... Our role in politics focuses on territorial operations and civic works aimed at improving the people's social welfare.

"ABRI, including the Marine Corps, is part of the people and comes from the people. We are born in the Armed Forces and Navy for the good of the people."

Suharto disavowed that the Navy's elite force had ambitions to play a role in the national political arena, stating its main task was in defense of the state and improving people's welfare.

"We would consider positions in politics only if asked. And we have never begged for political positions."