Restoring image big job for Kopassus

Restoring image big job for Kopassus

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Army Special Force (Kopassus), a much feared unit within
the Indonesian Military (TNI), has a long history of ups and
downs.

Kopassus was born when the Indonesian Army was struggling to
put an end to a separatist campaign waged by the South Maluku
Republic (RMS) in 1950.

Facing a tough enemy, Col (Inf) A.E. Kawilarang, the commander
of the antirebel operation, decided to form a special force to
quell the separatist movement, which received support from the
former colonial power, the Netherlands.

Kawilarang then appointed former Dutch soldier Rokus Bernandus
Visser, who had married a Sundanese and changed his name to
Muhammad Idjon Djambi, to train and lead the special force.

Visser was a seasoned combatant and trainer, and was part of
the Dutch Special Forces during World War II.

He took up the top job in the Special Force Command, which was
formally established on April 16, 1952, with the military rank of
major. The force remained part of the Siliwangi Military Command
until Army Headquarters took it over in 1953 and renamed it the
Army Commando Unit.

According to a book written by Robert Lowry titled "The Armed
Forces of Indonesia", the special force changed names several
times. It was known as the Army Paratroop Command Regiment
(RPKAD), which served as the vanguard of the military's cleansing
operation against communists in 1966. The name was maintained for
a decade before it was changed to the Reconnaissance Warfare
Command (Kopassandha). The unit was finally named Kopassus in
1986.

Under different names, Kopassus lived up to its billing as an
elite force, whose achievements have drawn international
plaudits.

Among its more noteworthy missions since playing a pivotal
role in foiling the coup attempt blamed on the Indonesian
Communist Party (PKI) in 1965, were rescuing passengers of a
Garuda aircraft hijacked to Bangkok in 1981 and releasing 26
people abducted by a Papuan separatist group led by Kelly Kwalik
in 1996.

With its proven track record, it is no surprise that Kopassus
has become the best training ground for future TNI leaders.

Most of the best known and brightest leaders of the Army came
from Kopassus, including Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto, Gen.
(ret) Benny Murdani, Gen. Tyasno Sudarto and Gen. (ret) Wismoyo
Arismunandar.

Kopassus' image quickly became tarnished on the eve of
President Soeharto's downfall after the force was involved in an
operation to silence opposition groups.

In April 1998, it was revealed that Kopassus took part in the
abduction of student activists, who provided the most outspoken
opposition demanding Soeharto's resignation. Some Kopassus
members in the Mawar Team were later brought to justice.

Kopassus members were also accused of taking part in the mass
violence that occurred in East Timor after the historic
independence ballot in the former Portuguese colony in September
1999.

Despite the internal reforms to restore the military's image,
Kopassus has lately come under public fire again after some of
its members were alleged to have been involved in the murder of
Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay on Nov. 10 last year.
Three Kopassus soldiers have been tipped as suspects in the case.

Therefore, as it celebrated its golden anniversary on Tuesday,
Kopassus could only look ahead to the formidable task of
repairing its image in the eyes of the public and satisfying the
growing demands for military professionalism, including respect
for human rights.