- Title: INDONESIA: GENERAL NASUTION APPEALS FOR DEMOCRACY AND GREATER HUMAN RIGHTS.
- Date: 7th December 1981
- Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA 2 DECEMBER, 1981 REUTERS - WALTER BURGESS GV PAN (COLOUR & SOUND) (1981) Parliament building in Jakarta. SV PAN Portrait of General Nasution and wife PAN TO painting of daughter. SV INT General Nasution speaking to newsman. (3 SHOTS) SPEECH (TRANSCRIPT) NASUTION: (SEQ. 6) "In 1978 I reminded the MPR about the fact that the stipulations of the constitution mostly are not yet fulfilled or implemented, especially about the people's sovereignty, the citizen's rights and so on. And, I think it is my duty again to remind, especially before the general elections. Now maybe you know that early in '66 when the new order started, the National and other leaders and me, had signed the statement of the armed forces. We promised to implement the constitution generally and consistently, and now it is already about 16 years after that. I would like to remind again." GRIFFITHS: "You have spoken before, General Nasution, of a possibility of increasing social disturbances. Well, with the election just a few months away, do you fear that the Moslem fundamentalists could take advantage of confusion, or do you think that this kind of fear is groundless?" NASUTION: "The problem for the Moslem now is more a problem about freedom to exercise their religious activities. They need a licence, permission from the authorities, and you can hear many sermons in the mosques that people are talking about too much meddling by the security forces with the religion. So the problem is not firstly a religious problem, but a general problem of democracy and citizen's rights. I think this is the problem but in the elections, the biggest rivals are the Golkar and the PPP, which is based on Moslems. But if you have excesses, you can have incidents, accidents. And you know, in an explosive situation, accidents can make big explosions. That's the problem. But I think up to now, the Army is in control." JS
- Embargoed: 22nd December 1981 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA1HL71BI92PHOYZV3LDL38HSVU
- Story Text: INTRODUCTION: In Indonesia, a veteran army commander has called for a greater degree of democracy and more human rights.It came from General Abdul Haris Nasution.Indonesia is preparing for elections on May next year, but General Nasution, says they're too limited, and too late.A former army Chief of Staff and Defence Minister, General Nasution has frequently criticised the military dominated government.
SYNOPSIS: March, 1967, and the military government of General Suharto was tightening its grip on Indonesia.It had seized power one year earlier, following a bloody Communist uprising.The rebellion was defeated and the army cracked down on suspected sympathisers.Curfews were imposed, roadblocks manned, and a wave of arrests continued for months.The then President, Dr.Sukarno, was suspected of complicity in the rebellion and was removed from office.In his place was the powerful People's Consultative Congress, headed by General Suharto.Among its members, General Nasution.Nasution had originally been a Sukarno protege, rising to become army head and then defence minister.But during the uprising his daughter was murdered, and he readily joined the anti-Sukarno groups.
Jakarta, 1981, and relations have soured.General Nasution now believes President Suharto has not moved fast enough to restore the democracy he says they were fighting for in 1966.Only 39 per cent of the parliament (MPR) are elected.The others are appointed by the President.The General explained his criticism in an interview with Peter Griffiths of Reuters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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