Panggabean denies 'Supersemar' claim

Panggabean denies 'Supersemar' claim

JAKARTA (JP): Gen. (ret.) Maraden Panggabean has denied the
account of a former adjutant of Sukarno that he forced the
founding president at gunpoint to relinquish power to the then
minister of the Army, Lt. Gen. Soeharto, subsequently the
country's second president.

Panggabean said it was untrue that he and Maj. Gen. Basuki
Rachmat coerced Sukarno to sign the historic March 11, 1966,
letter, known as Supersemar, which gave Soeharto the power to
restore order following the communist party's abortive coup on
Sept. 30, 1965. Both Sukarno and Basuki are deceased.

"With this media briefing, I want to insist that the story
told by the ex-serviceman (Soekardjo Wilardjito) contains no
truth," he said.

In an account quoted by several newspapers, 71-year-old
Soekardjo claimed he saw Panggabean and Basuki draw and cock FN
46 pistols, aiming them at Sukarno's chest.

Panggabean, former deputy Army chief, contended he was not
even present at the Bogor Presidential Palace when the document
was signed, but resting at Army Headquarters.

Contemporary accounts said the document was brought by Basuki,
Amir Machmud, now also deceased, and Gen. M. Jusuf for Sukarno to
sign in Bogor. The present whereabouts of the document is
unknown.

With the letter, Sukarno gave a mandate to Soeharto to take
necessary action to restore order, coordinate with Navy and Air
Force commanders and report to the president.

Panggabean branded Soekardjo, who claimed he witnessed the
signing because he was Sukarno's bodyguard, a liar.

"How could he make up such a story? It was said that Basuki
and I cocked pistols and aimed at Bung Karno's head (sic). How
could it be since I was not at the Bogor palace at that time.
Soekardjo must have diseased eyes," he said.

"It is strange that a junior officer could not identify
between General Panggabean, Jusuf, Basuki and Amir Machmud. So,
to me, Soekardjo's testimony is an outrageous lie."

Panggabean, also former ABRI commander and minister of defense
and security, suggested that Jusuf -- the sole survivor of the
three officers who brought the letter to Sukarno -- should give a
complete and transparent explanation of what transpired.

Many regard the letter's issuance as a bloodless coup against
the Sukarno government.

Soekardjo, who asked for legal protection from the Legal Aid
Institute in Yogyakarta on Tuesday, said he was jailed without
trial just minutes after the letter was signed.

He was imprisoned in numerous penitentiaries from 1966 to
1977.

In his account of the signing, he said he was on duty when the
four generals arrived at the palace carrying a light red folder
and demanded to see Sukarno. (imn/lem/rms)