Urgent appeal to Gen. Wiranto

Gen. Wiranto, I would have preferred writing in a different vein to commemorate Heroes Day tomorrow, but I am very apprehensive of the mounting fervor leading up to the Special Session of the MPR. Tension has been rising, as many groups have been reverting to primordialism. Threats and counter-threats are being issued daily, with every group claiming to represent the people. With the exception of Amien Rais, Cak Nur, Gus Dur, and Megawati, very few leaders are espousing non-violence. Many others are instead exhorting their followers on, regardless of the potential damage to the nation.

You know very well that ABRI's image is at its lowest ebb, due to having identified itself too closely with the previous regime. Now, you are faced with the unenviable task of maintaining law and order during the forthcoming session, the majority of whose members are the self-same legislators who elected President Soeharto a little while ago. That many of our students no longer trust these legislators should therefore not come as a surprise. What most of the students fear is that the incumbents will use this special session to further their own cause. I do not think the students are against early elections, they just do not want the rules to be rigged.

Tens of thousands of civilians are being prepared to face any demonstrators. You could continue to issue statements that these groups have assembled of their own volition, but very few students will believe you. Gen. Wiranto, these civilians have not been trained long enough to be able to control demonstrations without resorting to violence. Confronting the students who are fighting for a cleaner, more honest, more equitable Indonesia with these groups is tantamount to pitting brother against brother. This was the strategy employed by the colonial powers who drafted very many Indonesians into the KNIL. Our freedom fighters had no choice, then, but fight against their own brethren.

Gen. Wiranto, there is a vacuum in credible leadership. You should rise to the occasion. This is an opportunity to redeem TNI (Armed Forces) worth, and build our country anew. Regain our people's hearts by going back to your roots, to Gen. Sudirman, and draw upon the tradition of self-sacrifice. Put the country ahead of any other interests. Strengthen your resolve to make TNI the people's army one again with the memory of thousands who laid down their lives so that today we could live as free people. When you commemorate their noble deeds at Kalibata tomorrow, take some time to read the tombstones. You will find that many, many simple and ordinary people fought valiantly against very heavy odds.

Do not pit brother against brother, Gen. Wiranto. Our people have already suffered too much on account of the greed and rapacity of their leaders. Remember that although keeping law and order is important, higher still is the need to maintain national unity. Surely, you do want our country to disintegrate -- then; all our heroes will have died in vain. Please do not forsake the dreams of our founding fathers. So when the students march tomorrow, let them present their demands to the legislators who claim to be people's representatives. If others march against these students, let them too, present their support for the incumbents. But keep these two opposing groups apart. These students are our children, Gen. Wiranto, they are our future. However, if you let blood flow tomorrow, if you turn away and let brother kill brother, history will never forgive you.

H.S. Dillon

Jakarta