Soemitro buried with military honors

Soemitro buried with military honors

JAKARTA (JP): Gen. (ret) Soemitro, the former commander of a
defunct internal security agency, was buried at Kalibata Heroes
Cemetery, South Jakarta, with full military honors yesterday in
the presence of top military brass.

The 71-year-old general died Sunday at the Mitra Kemayoran
hospital, where he had lain in a coma for 10 days after a stroke
which led to a brain hemorrhage.

Soemitro, once dubbed "Indonesia's No. 2 Man", to his final
days remained a respected figure in Indonesian politics and was
famous for his passionate and insightful commentaries.

Full of military pageantry befitting a fallen soldier,
Soemitro was given a hero's send-off in a ceremony led by Army
Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo HS.

Besides family and relatives, many friends from the military
-- both active and retired -- attended his funeral.

Among the distinguished figures seen present were five-star
Gen. (ret) Abdul Haris Nasution, former Army chief of staff Gen.
(ret) LB Moerdani, former House Speaker Lt. Gen. (ret) Kharis
Suhud and former Navy chief Adm. (ret) Soedomo.

Active military generals present included Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Wiranto, Chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves
Command Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto and Jakarta Military Chief Maj.
Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

Vice President Habibie called on Soemitro's family at their
residence in South Jakarta on Sunday night to express his
condolences.

For many, Soemitro will always be remembered for his role in
the Malari incident of Jan. 15, 1974, which saw chaotic student
protests in Jakarta. It was this fateful incident which led to
the resignation of the then 49-year-old general from the
military.

Also paying his respects at the cemetery yesterday was Hariman
Siregar, former University of Indonesia student leader, who stood
on the opposite side during the protests.

Earlier this year, Soemitro published a firsthand account of
the incident which claimed 11 lives and massive property damage
in the capital.

In the book titled Pangkopkamtib Jen. Soemitro dan Peristiwa
15 Januari 1974 (Internal Security Agency Chief Gen. Soemitro and
the Jan. 15, 1974 Incident), Soemitro admitted making several
decisions he later regretted.

One of them was Hariman's arrest: "If only I had known (of
Hariman's action), there was no way I would have arrested him."

Hariman spoke yesterday of nothing but profound respect for
the Probolinggo, East Java-born, general. "I respected his
honesty and openness. It's hard to find a military man as humble
and as much a gentleman as him."

Everyone expressed similar admiration for Soemitro.

One of the founders of the Armed Forces, Abdul Haris Nasution,
remembered the late Soemitro as "a firm man who stuck to his
guns". "We've lost one of the country's best sons," the 79-year-
old five-star general added. (edt/aan)