Stop denouncing ABRI?

Retired Gen. Try Sutrisno, in his capacity as general chairman of the Association of Retired Members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia (Pepabri) has made a statement on television calling on the Indonesian people to stop denouncing the Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia (ABRI).

It must be difficult for the people not to denounce ABRI because under the Soeharto and Habibie regimes ABRI has committed grave errors, thus hurting the people's hearts. ABRI has failed to protect the people as evidenced in the following incidents: the Tanjung Priok incident (Try Sutrisno was at the time the responsible regional military commander of Jakarta), the incidents in Lampung, Dili, Aceh and Irian Jaya, the July 26, 1996 tragedy, the Trisakti tragedy on May 12, 1998, the rioting/looting/arson/gang rapine in Jakarta and Solo on May 13 and 14, 1998, the massacre of those alleged to be black magic practitioners in Banyuwangi, the Semanggi tragedy on November 13, 1998 and the Ketapang incident in Jakarta on November 20, 1998 in which a number of churches and schools were set on fire and destroyed. Obviously ABRI has failed to perform its function as a defense and security instrument to protect the Indonesian people and fatherland. Many of the above cases have even been orchestrated by ABRI itself.

Under the Soeharto and Habibie regimes, ABRI has been made an instrument for maintaining both the power of the state rulers and political stability. ABRI has turned itself into an instrument of the state which acts repressively and is opposed to the people. Just look at the Semanggi tragedy. How could live bullets be used to kill the students and the common people? Even after the Trisakti tragedy, ABRI could still afford to let a similar tragedy occur. Perhaps all acts committed by ABRI have been deliberately planned to defend the interests of Soeharto and his cronies.

The political party which triumphs in the upcoming 1999 general election must have the guts to reject the presence of ABRI representatives in the House of Representatives. Besides, ABRI members must also be required to give up their civilian positions. ABRI must return to its basic function.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta