Sukarno's widow doubts Soekardjo's accusations

JAKARTA (JP): Hartini, the widow of former president Sukarno, has cast further doubt on accusations that the late president was forced to sign the historic March 11, 1966, letter which effectively transferred power to then Lt. Gen. Soeharto, at gunpoint.

Hartini said here on Thursday that she knew many of the presidential security guards but did not recognize the name of the ex-serviceman who claimed to have seen Sukarno signing the letter under duress.

"Don't seek personal popularity by making up history," she said, as quoted by Antara.

Soekardjo Wilardjito, a lieutenant who claimed to be part of the presidential guard, claimed last month that four senior officers went to the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, on that fateful day 32 years ago.

He claimed Gen. (ret) Maraden Panggabean and the late Maj. Gen. Basuki Rachmat drew and cocked FN 46 pistols and aimed them at Sukarno's chest.

The historic letter, known as Supersemar, gave then minister of the Army Soeharto power to restore order following the 1965 abortive communist coup.

Soekardjo, 71, recently demanded the rehabilitation of his name and pension because he claimed that he was arrested and jailed for more than a decade without trial just hours after witnessing the signing.

Panggabean, former deputy Army chief, last week contended he was not even present at the Bogor Presidential Palace when the document was signed.

Panggabean, 76, branded Soekardjo a liar.

Official accounts maintain that the document was taken by Basuki, the late Maj. Gen. Amir Machmud and Gen. M. Jusuf to Bogor for Sukarno.

However, the present whereabouts of the all-important document is unknown.

Both Panggabean, and more recently Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung have urged Jusuf, the sole surviving officer of the three who took the letter to Bogor, to come forward and give his account of what happened in order to lay the issue to rest.

Akbar urged Jusuf to at least "give a written explanation" about the events if he could not do so verbally.

In Semarang, Central Java, Akbar admitted that he had yet to contact Jusuf about the matter but would do so when he goes to Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, where the 70-year-old general now lives.

"I haven't met him yet nor have I sent him a letter. Next time I am in Ujungpandang, I'll meet him," he said Thursday.

However, Akbar admitted that he was not in too much of a hurry to meet Jusuf, especially since Panggabean himself had directly addressed the issue and revealed it to be a complete fabrication.

But others seemed to see the issue as a pressing matter and again asserted the need for Jusuf to speak out.

Retired army general Rudini, chairman of the Institute of the Strategic Studies of Indonesia (LPSI) and A.A. Baramuli, chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA), said survivors must speak up in order to straighten the nation's history.

"In the past it was concealed, now please disclose it, so there won't be any historical manipulation in the future," Rudini said.

Baramuli said Jusuf needed to speak up to clear up the controversy surrounding the document. (44/aan)