'Mindless people disrupt political development'
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid warned Saturday that Indonesia's political development has been disrupted by "people who have lost their brains."
These "brainless" people disrupt political development because they do not want to see the government improve its image internationally, he said.
"Based on ABRI's (the Armed Forces) observations, the process of change and development is abated by certain groups in society that have lost their objectivity and conceptual clarity because they only think of their own interests," Syarwan said.
He maintained that the groups exploited the liabilities and excesses of political development. "If we are not on alert, we may be easily swayed by the various themes they present, which involve disparity, democratization and human rights as if they were fighting for the common people," Syarwan warned.
Syarwan was addressing a seminar organized by the Muhammadiyah Moslem organization.
The government and the military have cracked down on a tiny student organization, the Democratic People's Army (PRD), accusing it of masterminding the July 27 riots in the capital.
The riots erupted after supporters of the government- sanctioned faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) took over the PDI headquarters, which was occupied by those loyal to the party's ousted leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Syarwan has lead a chorus of officials and public figures in accusing the PRD of utilizing and harboring communist designs.
Several leaders of the PRD and its affiliate organizations, popularly dubbed the rainbow coalition, and labor activist Muchtar Pakpahan are in detention.
On the surface people only see the PDI rift, however after the riots it became obvious that these groups had launched an ideological propaganda campaign, Syarwan said.
He said that when this is combined with subversive elements from abroad, the danger to the state increases.
"Of course we realize that subversion by itself doesn't mean anything without the support or involvement of subversives from abroad. They all mesh together with various groups or individuals inside the country," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
"They are remnants of the Indonesian Communist Party. Radicals who hold separatist ideas, the new left and other extreme groups. They even include groups or individuals who are critical, vocal and hold far more liberal attitudes than those who are liberals," he said.
Syarwan maintained that the country still needed its controversial 1963 subversion law.
He said that as long as there were no replacement laws the subversion law should still be used, albeit selectively.
He said that those involved in the July 27 riots would be tried as soon as possible according to the Criminal Code, however it is possible that the protagonists could be indicted under the subversion law. (mds)