No objections to more intellectual groups, ABRI says

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) said yesterday it has no objection to the creation of new intellectual organizations as long as they fall in line with national objectives.

"Intellectuals, like other professionals, have the right to organize and they are free to establish new groups," ABRI's chief spokesman, Brig. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, told reporters yesterday.

Syarwan said any new organization should refrain from sowing divisive seeds. "As long as they remain within the political corridors outlined by the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, then that's all right."

He said that while ABRI fully supported the call by Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat for the various intellectual organizations which are based on religious lines to merge into one group, he foresaw difficulties in implementing this because of their different backgrounds.

"Milk and rendang are both tasty, but combined, they won't taste as good," he said, referring to the popular traditional West Sumatran beef dish.

Syarwan's remarks add to the present polemic on the existence of organizations grouping intellectuals.

A number of intellectuals and government officials are considering establishing one such organization which does not represent any particular religion.

Many said the plan was intended to counter the Association of Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), which has been growing from strength to strength recently. Its critics say the group has become politicized under its chairman, B.J. Habibie, who is also state minister of research and technology.

The critics also say that ICMI's politicking is sowing the seeds of sectarian politics which could endanger the unity of the nation.

Intellectuals of other faiths have founded PIKI (Protestants), ISKA (Roman Catholics) and FCHI (Hindu), but these organizations are not nearly as influential as ICMI.

Syarwan said ABRI's stand on the proliferation of intellectual organizations does not contradict Edi Sudradjat's call for a single organization. "The main point in Edi's statement is that the presence of intellectual organizations should not disrupt the nation's unity and cohesion."

Strong nation

He said Indonesia will be a strong country if all the various components that make up the nation are strong.

"Indonesia will be strong if the Sumatrans are strong, the Javanese are strong and the people of Sulawesi are strong," he said. "In religious terms, Indonesia will be strong if the Moslems are strong, the Protestants and Catholics are strong, the Hindus and Buddhists are strong."

"So ABRI has no objections to these organizations," he added.

On another matter, Syarwan said the military was viewing with concern the fact that many non-governmental organizations, in Indonesia as well as overseas, are now using human rights issues to try to discredit the government and to divide the nation.

"Many local NGOs have been affected by the currents of globalization. They only see the negative aspects of the government," he said without singling out any particular group.

He pointed out that the conference on East Timor in Manila could hardly be expected to improve the human rights conditions in East Timor. The meeting is simply a forum to discredit Indonesia in the eyes of the world, he said.

He said critics of the government, at home and overseas, have failed to give credit to the many efforts, and successes achieved, particularly in improving the people's welfare. (rms)