Prabowo defends May 22 actions

JAKARTA (JP): Prabowo Subianto, the Army lieutenant general President B.J. Habibie accused this week of deploying troops around his residence the day after he assumed the presidency in May, said on Friday he took the action as part of his duty to protect the new head of state.

In a statement read by close friends, Prabowo, who is currently in Jordan, said the troop concentration "was in line with the instruction from the Armed Forces (ABRI) top brass".

"All troop mobilizations were continuously reported to the upper command," identifying the latter as the Jakarta military commander.

Prabowo was removed from his post as chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) on May 22, only one day after Habibie assumed the presidency from strongman Soeharto.

His abrupt removal was never satisfactorily explained, but on Monday Habibie disclosed the "concentration of troops" around his house by Prabowo. He said he asked ABRI chief Gen. Wiranto to remove the troops as soon as he learned of the situation.

Prabowo, a son-in-law of Soeharto, was reassigned to a less significant position in Bandung on the evening of May 22 and discharged from the Army in August following the investigation into his role in the abduction of political activists.

Habibie's disclosure, before a forum of Asian and German journalists on Monday, upset Prabowo's family and friends, some of whom accused the President of slander.

Several politicians have also demanded an official investigation, saying Habibie virtually accused Prabowo of treason.

Wiranto on Friday played down the significance of the troop concentration, stressing that many ABRI units from outside had been redeployed in the capital before the May 14 riots to keep stability and order in the city.

All troops deployed were under the control of the Jakarta military commander and the Jakarta Police chief, Wiranto told reporters in Bandung.

ABRI chief spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif separately said that besides Kostrad troops, there were other units brought into Jakarta at the time on Wiranto's orders, Antara reported.

Syamsul corrected Habibie's military terminology, saying it was a "consolidation" rather than a "concentration".

Prabowo's account of his actions in May was presented at a media briefing held at Regent Hotel in Central Jakarta by Farid Prawiranegara and Fadli Zon of the Crescent and Star Party. Also present were Achmad Sumargono of the Indonesian Committee for World Muslim Solidarity and Jannus Hutapea, corporate secretary of Tirta Mas, the widely diversified business group controlled by Prabowo's younger brother Hashim Djoyohadikusumo.

In his letter dated Feb. 19, Prabowo said he deployed his Kostrad troops in May to support the military operation to protect strategic sites in the capital, including to ensure the safety of Soeharto and Habibie.

Fadli urged Habibie to meet with Prabowo to clarify the matter.

"History should not be written by the winning general (only)," he said, quoting a Russian phrase.

Jannus suggested that Habibie invite Prabowo for a meeting. The latter is conducting business for Tirta Mas in Amman.

Habibie's disclosure and its implications have distressed the entire Prabowo family, including his father, economic guru Soemitro Djoyohadikusumo, Jannus said.

Soemitro is in Australia for a medical checkup and will return next week. Hashim, who has been in Europe since Feb. 6 in his capacity as Habibie's roving ambassador to Europe, will return home on Wednesday. (01/43)