Vice President tells Kopassus to improve image

Vice President tells Kopassus to improve image

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri encouraged
the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) to rehabilitate its
tarnished image following the arrest of a Kopassus soldier
implicated in the recent bomb blast at the Jakarta Stock Exchange
(JSX) building.

"You (Kopassus troops) should rebuild your self-confidence and
improve your professionalism as part of the effort to improve the
image of Kopassus," Megawati told a meeting with 200 soldiers of
the elite force in Cijantung, East Jakarta.

"Self-confidence is not inspired by other people, but it
emanates from deep down in your hearts.

"I'm sure your image will be restored some day and the people
will see and give their support to Kopassus as an integral part
of the Army," she said.

Kopassus has a total of 6,000 personnel, distributed among its
five groups with two groups being based in Cijantung and the
other three groups based respectively in Serang and Batujajar in
West Java, and Kartasura in Central Java.

Megawati said she was deeply concerned over the alleged
involvement of the Kopassus soldier in the bomb blast.

"As Vice President and a citizen, I cannot accept this
situation (the accusation) as it stands, because it is not the
fault of Kopassus as an institution, but rather that of certain
soldiers in the force.

"So, from now on, the whole force must always be proud of
itself as the protector of the state," said Megawati, who was
immediately applauded by the audience.

A Kopassus soldier and another soldier from the Army's
Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) have been implicated in the
bomb blast at the JSX building on Sept. 13, which claimed at
least 11 lives and injured dozens. The two soldiers' alleged
involvement was confirmed by the Indonesian Military (TNI)
Commander Adm. Widodo Adisutjipto on Tuesday.

Present at the meeting were Adm. Widodo, Army chief Gen.
Tyasno Sudarto, Army deputy chief Lt. Gen. Endriarto Sutarto,
Kostrad chief Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, and all of the regional
military commanders.

Megawati was accompanied by her husband Taufik Kiemas, the
Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Minister of Trade and Industry
Lt. Gen. (ret) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Before the meeting, Megawati and her entourage paid a visit to
the elite force's antiterror unit at the Kopassus compound and
held a closed-door meeting with high-ranking staff officers.

She said it was a special honor for her to make the visit, one
that she was unable to pay in the past.

The Vice President conceded that she decided to make the visit
after receiving an invitation from Tyasno recently.

"I told Tyasno that I was ready to visit Kopassus," she said.

"I hope this visit will be of great significance, especially
at a time when the country is facing a serious economic crisis,
and that all Kopassus personnel remain committed to their main
task of maintaining national unity," she said.

Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaeni, commander of the red-beret force,
praised Megawati's visit and expressed the hope that it would
help encourage all of the force's personnel to rebuild its image.

"Kopassus appreciates the Vice President's visit. It is
expected that (the visit) will give a moral boost to Kopassus's
personnel," he said.

Amirul, who presented the elite force's uniform and a red
beret to the Vice President, said Megawati's visit had added to
the government's support for the elite force following President
Abdurrahman Wahid's recent visit to the Kopassus 1st Combat Group
in Serang.

Praise was also forthcoming from the troops.

First Sgt. Bambang, a member of the Kopassus's antiterrorist
unit, said the visit would certainly have a positive impact on
the force and provide moral support for the troops in carrying
out their duties.

"I'm proud of the Vice President and appreciate the moral
support she has given us," he said. (rms)