U.S. warning

In The Jakarta Post of Jan. 16, 2000 (front page) I read, "U.S. Ambassador R. Holbrooke strongly warned the Indonesian Military (TNI) not to try to foil the works of the government sanctioned commission of inquiry into human rights violations (KPP HAM) in East Timor".

What is the reason for saying this? The KPP HAM has asked generals and ministers to come, they all comply and answer the questions put forward, except Habibie, who is 100 percent civilian. The KPP HAM is not a court, it is just a commission. The military never tried to foil the efforts of the KPP HAM to obtain the true facts, because by obtaining the true facts, the role of the international bodies will come to the surface. There is no reason whatever to foil the attempts, because that is good for Indonesia.

He also said that the U.S. is strongly opposed to any military coup attempt. I begin to ask myself whether the honorable Holbrooke knows the TNI, and if he does know, then he will not issue this warning.

Since its birth, the TNI has stayed loyal to the central government. In 1948, the Communist Party started a rebellion, the TNI remained loyal. In the mid-1950s the PRRI and the PERMESTA rebelled against the central government. The TNI stayed loyal to the central government, despite help to the rebels from the U.S. I am still wondering why the U.S. helped rebels in a foreign country by sending planes and weapons.

In this reform era, the TNI is part and parcel of the reform movement now going on in Indonesia and the slogan is "what is good for the people (I mean Indonesian people not foreign people) is good for the TNI". This is proof of the deep dedication of the TNI to the reform era.

Where does the honorable Holbrooke get this information of the military planning a coup, or is he giving moral support to those people or perhaps the politicians who hate the TNI for their efficiency and professionalism and take away their chance to rule? Holbrooke should study the mentality of the TNI as a part of the reform movement, which is to slowly retreat from the political arena, so that politicians can play the active role they have been waiting for so long.

The TNI said that if other people can do it, then let them do it. The TNI agreed in principle to end their dual role in about six years time, which is also a product of the meeting between top politicians like Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Amien Rais and the sultan of Yogyakarta. These politicians agreed that the dual role of the TNI should not perish but fade away like heroes. The dual function has a strong legal basis, so its abolition should be along legal lines and not by demonstrations.

Mr. Holbrooke, perhaps you mean well, and I am sure you do. But the way you express it, it is not 100 percent acceptable. There is a French proverb that says It is the tone that decides the music.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta