Soeharto says army is guarantee for the future
Soeharto says army is guarantee for the future
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs a strong military to ensure that
it can continue with its development, President Soeharto says.
"In a world that is now filled with uncertainties, a strong
ABRI (Armed Forces) acts as a guarantee for our future," the ABRI
Commander-in-chief said on Saturday in a speech to mark the 42nd
anniversary of the Kopassus, the Army's special force.
In his written speech, Soeharto said he had full confidence in
the strength of the military, its personnel and equipment, and
that ABRI's strength and capabilities stacks up well with the
armed forces of other countries.
He commended Kopassus specifically for fulfilling its tasks in
the past, specifically, of defending the country and in
protecting its people.
The speech was read during the military ceremony at the
Kopassus headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta.
The force has spearheaded many military operations in the
past, including campaigns to quash the communist forces in 1965
and various separatist insurgences, including in Irian Jaya, Aceh
and East Timor.
It was also a Kopassus unit that was sent to Don Muang airport
in Bangkok in 1981 to free the hostages of a hijacked Garuda
Indonesia airliner.
These successful operations earned Kopassus the reputation as
the Army's most fearsome and strongly disciplined force.
The force, that has adopted the motto "Skilled and
Professional" and picked as its anniversary theme "It's Better to
Die than to Fail".
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar, who presided at
the anniversary ceremony, said that Kopassus must participate in
the nation's endeavors to overcome the various social, political
and economic obstacles and the threats to national unity.
Indonesia is currently undergoing an intensive change brought
about by the forces of development and globalization, making the
nation prone to new security problems, said Wismoyo.
Wismoyo commanded the Kopassus from 1983 to 1985.
High mobility
He told the Kopassus members to continue their practice and
stay alert at all times, noting that one of the keys to success
for the force in the past was their high mobility that enabled it
to move to any part of the country quickly.
"We should maintain Kopassus's reputation as a force that is
small in size but plays tactical and strategic roles in every
task," he said.
During the ceremonies, Wismoyo also presented Kopassus'
Kartika Eka Pakci Nararya meritorious award to Brig. Gen. Agum
Gumelar, the current commander of the force, and Col. K.
Simbolon, who is Agum's intelligence assistant.
The award for Simbolon was given to acknowledge his role in
arresting Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao in November of 1992.
Xanana was an East Timor guerrilla leader who had been in hiding
for nearly 16 years.
Some of the other former Kopassus's commanders were also
present at the ceremony in Cijantung on Saturday, including Maj.
Gen. Koentara (now chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves
Command), Maj. Gen. Tarub (now chief of the Tanjungpura Military
Command), and Brig. Gen. Sintong Panjaitan.
The guests and members of the public were also given a glimpse
of some of the skills that made Kopassus famous.
There was a simulated operation to free hostages, a display of
their self defense skills and an air jump. (rms)