Who Was Suharto? (8)

When Habibie replaced Suharto and went to Aceh, Bantaqiah was then freed. Yet, this did not fit in some Suharto's soldiers . For them, Bantaqiah was also the same as armed-gun Aceh groups that rejected Pancasila, so that his existence should be erased.

On Tuesday, 22nd July 1999, TNI troops consist of any units from army and Brimob founded tents around Beutong Ateuh mountains. Though local citizens were prejudiced, as experience taught if soldiers gathered, then people blood would be scattered, yet they could not do anything. Their worry became true. There was suddenly a shooting incident to native persons who were seeking ribs. One was injured and the other escaped. This terror surely made the citizens afraid.

In the following morning of Friday, 23rd July 1999, after dawn, TNI and Brimob had silently moved reaching the boarding school. They were applied with first fight apparatus: a full bulleted gun. At 08.00 AM, TNI and Brimob had been across the river nearly the boarding school. Using reason of seeking GAM, at 09.00 AM they burnt all the citizens homes which lied only 100 meters from east boarding school. An hour then, the troops began to move to the boarding school and they encircled all the area. They screamed and yelled to the borading school asking Tengku Bantaqiah came out to see them.

Before mid Friday prayer, all the students usually listened to Tengku Bantaqiah giving the lessons of Islam. Hearing the soldiers called his name, Tengku Bantaqiah then came with one of his students. The soldiers were impatient, they came into the boarding school and made all the students kneel along the river.

The troops asked Tengku Bantaqiah to give his gun. This made Tengku confused as he did not have any, except only hoes and chopping knife to garden their fields. The troops did not believe, and pointed out an antenna installed in the roof tops of boarding school as a device to get in touch with GAM. In fact it was just a common antenna to catch radio waves. “The soldier commander asked Usman, son of Bantaqiah, to take the antenna. Usman directly moved toward his house but then a soldier hit him in the head using gun.” Feri Kusuma wrote in Jubah Putih di Beutong Ateuh. Seeing his son fell down, Bantaqiah reflexly ran to help, but at only a sudden, the troops fired him and his son cruelly. The troops also fired the students and in just a second, 50 men died instantly. The injured students were taken to a truck the same as the alive ones. The truck then went to Takengon, Central Aceh, which lied in the jungle.

In the middle of the journey to Tekangon, the students were told to get off. They were asked to kneel down in the bank of a canyon. A student jumped to the canyon and disappeared, while the soldiers immediately fired toward the direction he got lost. The students left were not known until know, but some said they were killed and their body were thrown to the canyon.

In the evening, the soldiers told the citizens to bury the bodis in the boarding school. The women were concentrated in the mosque and they were banned to see the burial. The troops then destroy all the things in the boarding school, and after satisfied, they got back with some trucks, leaving the people who only could cry and pray.

After the tragedy, the people of Beutong Ateuh could only be silent. With all their possible efforts, the students—mostly women and children—rebuilt the school and continued the educating process there. Until now, the boarding school was never completely recovered. Until this time, none of the Tengku Bantaqiah massacre actors got in the court. They are still lingering. Beutong Ateuh was only one of million tragedies in Indonesia when Suharto powered. (continued)

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Who Was Suharto? (7)

Besides taking all Aceh's resources, Suharto also conducted Aceh Muslim genocide, and the most famous was DOM or Red Web Operation (Operasi Jaring Merah, 1989-1998). Many DOM experts agreed that the brutality done in Aceh was also the same as what Serbia Militia did to Bosnian Muslims in 1990's. The wide NAD was only a mass burial of its people. The Aceh Muslims who lived in Islam's dignity for years had been insulted by Suharto.

Al-Chaidar, an-Aceh-born expert, stated, “If Cambodia under Pol Pot regime had a famous The Killing Fields, Aceh was also known as Skull Valley. In Aceh, there were 35 point of huge massacres—this was more than Cambodia's killing fields.”

One of the big cases in Aceh was the tragedy of Tengku Bantaqiah, the leader od Dayah (traditional Islamic boarding school)) Babul Nurillah in Beutong Ateuh on July 23rd, 1999. Ironically, though DOM had been officially stopped, but the brutality in Aceh never ceased. Tengku Bantaqiah with his students were the proof. The stepping down of Suharto affected nothing in Aceh. The Suharto's inheritances such as Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in fact kept the system.

Feri Kusuma, one of the activists of Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan Aceh (Missing and Abused People in Aceh) wrote in his article titled “Jubah Putih di Beutong Ateuh), “Beutong Ateuh had a long story. This region was developed since Dutch colonialism, there people of Beutong Ateuh testified. Beutong Ateuh consist of four villages; Blang Meurandeh, Blang Pu'uk, Kuta Teungoh, and Babak Suak. Its geographical condition was great for leisure. There a river through Beutong between two mountains. The mountains in Beutong were Bukit Barisan formation...”

Two years after the tragedy, Beutong Ateuh was in a horrible condition. Not only in Beutong Ateuh, but also in the entire NAD regions. Poverty was everywhere, instead Aceh was a prosperous land. Beutong Ateuh lied in the border of Central and West Aceh. From Ule Jalan to Beutong Ateuh, we would pass Batalyon post 113/Jaya Sakti in oil-palm garden. In this area, exactly in the gate, there was board titled “TNI WAR EXERCISE AREA”. About 10 km of the building, there was also board titled “SIMPANG CAMAT” pointed a settlement. Yet, no houses in this area but big trees and wide canyon. This jungle was used as a hiding place by Cut Nyak Dien.

Beutong Ateuh was not really different from Simpang Camat. In the middle of the jungle, pale white cloth waved in Dayah area. Mosque dome, some house roofs, and prayer meeting place were in front of the Beutong river.

Tengku Bantaqiah founded an Islamic boarding school at Blang Meurandeh in 1982, and named it Babul al Nurillah. Abu Bantaqiah, so that his students called him, was a famously-respected-scholar. Dayah Babul Al Nurillah taught religion value, self-defense material art, and also gardening many vegetables to be self-consumed. The Dayah activities were also no different with other Islamic school in other regions in Indonesia. Beside the student who lived in the school, there were many people came and lived for a while during the vacation to learn.

Most of the Dayah students were ex-criminal. “According to Tengku Bantaqiah, it's more useful to ask the people outside the mosque. This might be boring, but Islam was opened to anyone.” Feri Kusumah said. Bataqiah was a tough scholar, and humble. He refused to join MUI (Islamic Scholar Union). Bantaqiah didn't belong to any political party, that's why he was often accused and slandered as wrong Islam with his famous title “Gerombolan Jubah Putih.”

Aceh government tried to controlled Bantaqiah by giving him Islamic boarding school. But the location in in the Beutong Bawah, far from Babul al Nurilah. Bataqiah refused any bribes, and this made his relationship with government turned bad. He was accused as one of the GAM officials and in 1992 he was imprisoned. (continued)

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Who was Suharto? (6)

Human rights crime of Suharto was started from the most east region of Indonesia; Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD). The crime to Aceh's Muslim People was originated by VOC of Nederland, extended by Soekarno's Old Order, and cruelly mastered in Suharto's era. In the period of Suharto, NAD whose role in grasping and defending the RI Independence—mostly financially so that NAD is called “RI Money Vault”—was even turned to be the shotgun field namely Daerah Operasi Militer (DOM), 1989-1998.

NAD is a rich district of resource, especially oil and gas. Until the end of 1980's, Aceh had contributed more than 30% Indonesia's oil-gas export. In 1971, a huge LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) was found in the North of Aceh. Mobil Oil, US mining company, was given the rights to exploit it and in the next six years ahead, LNG distillery complex founded in area named Lhokseumauwe Industry Zone (LIZ).

Before this case, in East Aceh, for 30 years since 1961, Asamera, a Canadian oil company, had dug more than 450 oil wells. The natural gas founded in these wells was richer than the ones in the North Aceh. ASEAN manure company production in Aceh was nearly 90% exported, and from the procurement complex was gained US$200 million a year for selling aromatic chemistry. Paper company Kraft Aceh also produced cement cover since 1989, and from the thrifty use of this paper, the government got profit US$89 million a year, while the cement paper export gained US$43 million. In 1983, Aceh contributed 11% of Indonesian whole exports.

Suharto knew well that Aceh's resource was greatly abundant. No wonder then, he greedily took all from Aceh. Ironically, almost all the profits exploited from Aceh, were taken to Jakarta, the capital city f Indonesia. Aceh's people got nothing in return, and they remained poor and pathetic. Instead, the Jakarta government, sent thousands of soldiers to control Aceh harmless people.

In the periode of 1990's, off 27 provinces in in Indonesia, Aceh was the 7th poorest province in this country. More than 40% of 5.643 villages in Aceh befell to poverty under-standard line. It was only 10% of Aceh's villages could attained electricity. In ZIL area, it was 20% citizens who gained clean water. Others got water from mostly-polluted-dug wells.

US Researcher, Tim Kell, in his report wrote, “Friction and values crash happened between native Aceh and the urban people. The immigrants consumed beers, held dance party, and made the price in the market highly-increase. They lived luxuriously in the middle of Aceh's poverty. Industrial waste polluted the land and citizens' wells. Sea was contaminated and destructed fisherman area. Jobless people were increase, and industry failed in restructuring the Aceh's people economy fundamentally as it had never been the part of Aceh real economic life. This was one of the Suharto's efforts in developing Aceh.

Tim Kell objectively continued, “In the year of 1940's, all PUSA Islamic Scholars were disappointed as there were never Islamic rules applied in Indonesia. In 1950's, Aceh's status as a province was dismissed and merged to North Sumatera Province. Administrative government, defense and economy were taken controll by PUSA. The disappointment and the fear of losing its identity made Aceh to a rebel deed in 1953 led by Daud Beureuh.”

Under Suharto regime, everybody and every region were similarly regarded—including Aceh. Suharto was a “Majapahit-centralist” the no wonder he also considered Aceh as Majapahit, a Javanese kingdom in the past. The “special” status of Aceh was dismissed as all its authorities in the subjects of religion, education and cultural law were only above the paper. The governor was chosen under Surhato's agreement, and the regent could only exist by Suharto's permit. Aceh was even considered unworthy enough to be a host of Kodam—Military District Commando. The base was moved to Medan.

In 1990,Governor Ibrahim Hasan obliged all the elementary students to be able to read Al-Quran. This was condemned by some officials in Jakarta. Education and Culture Ministry sent a team to investigate this case. In the next few months, the education and culutre district allowed some girls students to wear veil to the schools. Jakarta was again furious and said that rule was rule. Wearing veil was banned in Suharto's era in Aceh.

Ted Robert Gurr in Why Men Rebel wrote that men would react if their way of life threatened by a new progress. Aceh's people had lost its natural resource, its work, and its way of life. They lost their husband, children, hopes, and lost everything. If there were people asked “why do Aceh people rebel against government?”, they might be dumb person. The Aceh's people has been sacrificed by New Order regime, and the patience reached its limit! (continued)

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Who Was Suharto (5)

The point of the power conversion from Bung Karno to General Suharto was a change of Indonesia economy development principles, from the own-our-work principle became defended one. April 1996, Suharto retook Indonesia joining UN. After that, May 1966, Adam Malik announced that Indonesia re-cooperated with IMF. Thus, Bung Karno once rejected them by his famous words: “Go to hell with your aid!”

To keep the exploited Indonesian’s prosperity stability, Western countries planned Repelita. More than a half of Repelita budget (1969-1974) was obtained by foreign debts. “The amount was up to US$ 877 million in the end of the periode. In 1972, the gained foreign debts since 1966 was more than the budget of Soekarno government financial plans.” (M.C. Ricklefs; Sejarah Indonesia Modern, 1200-2004; Sept 2007).

Just in months after Suharto’s power, the tends of his government to enrich themselves was getting crazier. The people were sinking into the poverty while the officials were getting rich—though they always asked the people to live humble.

The students of university viewed this new government as a wrong system. Military was kept and used as a shield to store status-quo condition. People political power was eliminated by only allowing three political parties: Golkar, PPP, and PDI. “On February 1970, the government announced that all official servants should be loyal to the government. They were not allowed to join any other political party except Golkar.” Ricklefs stated.

The demonstration strictly held if from of Pangdam Siliwangi Building and West Java Governor Building, October 9th 1970, condemned the repressive soldiers deeds. 8 orders were conveyed: was Army immune of law? Why was uniform presumed capable? Were uniforms equal to train, cinema, bus, vehicle tickets? When would Army change? Who dared to preserve Army? Was there law guarantee for people? Had we been free from law authority? (Francois Raillon; Politik dan Ideologi Mahasiswa Indonesia 1966-1974; Des 1985).

Francis Raillon wrote, “During 1972-1973, there were power arrogation around Suharto between “US group” and “Japan group”. The first was consist of technocrat minister and amount of Generals, one of the was Pangkopkamtib Jend. Soemitro. The second group was led by President Personal Assistance, General Ali Moertopo ang General Soedjono Hoemardhani.”

Suharto was a smart and tricky boss. He used all the people around him to strengthen his position. When stepping Soekarno down, Suharto gathered military force, pro-capitalism technocrats, and religious mass organization—especially Islam, to strike communism. Yet after powering Indonesia, people were abandoned. Instead, he took Christian faction Pater Beek SJ and also CSIS where Ali Moertopo was the leader, and then in 1980’s, General Leonardus Benny Moerdhani emerged as Islamophobia central figure in Indonesia.

Fully supported specially by military, there was a price that had to be paid by Suharto; partitioning the corruption, collusion, and nepotism to his officials. Thus civil power had no mean at all. Whoever was opposite with him would be labeled as Anti-Pancasila. During 1970-1980’s, no harmful civil force emerged against Suharto. The memory of mass massacre done by Suharto’s soldiers in the end of 1965 until 1966 created a self-terror in the people’s mind.

Nation and character building shaped by the founders of this republic were secondly demolished by Suharto and replaced by Exploitation de L’homee par L’homee, the exploitation done by rulers to the people.

The black record of Suharto was not only these. In existing the human rights, for instance, New Order regime was famously known as a military-fascist, just as Germany under Hitler, Italia on Mussolini, Cambodia with Polpot, and Chile under Augusto Pinochet. This was determined by French Indonesian expert, Francois Raillon.

Ricklefs, Australian historian, stated if the set of human rights in Suharto era was merely worse than in Holland’s. “New Order did more punishment then Holland occupation. New Order allowed torturing to the political prisoners. The economic, politic, administrative, and military central were in the hands of number of elites.” Ricklefs verified. (continued)

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Who Was Suharto (4)

November 1967, Suharto sent this team to Switzerland meeting the Jewish international CEO, and they generated Foreign Capital Investment Law 1967 which gave many benefits to Western Imperialism. The on-our-own principles deadly kept by President Sukarno were wiped out by General Suharto and Indonesia turned to be defended country to Western as the world capital power.

More pro-capitalism “New Indonesia” was actually designed since 1950’s. david Ransom in his popular article titled “Berkeley Mafia and Mass Murder in Indonesia; New Troy Horse from US Universities came to Indonesia” (Ramparts, 1970) stated that US used two strategies to overcome Indonesia. Firstly, forming an intellectual Western-minded group, and secondly, building a part in Indonesian Army which could corporate with US.

The first group was steered by any scholarship foundation as Ford Foundation and Rockeffeler Foundation, and also some other admired US universities as Berkeley, Harvard Cornell, and also MIT. David Ransom mention two Indonesian Socialist Party figures—a little wing-socialist party—i.e. Soedjatmoko and Sumitro Djojohadikusumo became the front men of Indonesian pro-Western intellectual group forming. They—according to Ransom, were trained by US since the last of 1949’s. While the second task was assigned to CIA. One of its agents Guy Pauker joined RAND Corporation and approached some elite military officers via successfully-recruited by CIA man, i.e. Deputy Dan Seskoad Kol. Soewarto. Dan Intel Achmad Soekendro was also known in CIA approaching. Through these men, Ransom stated, US group moved forward to Indonesian military. Suharto was the trainee of Soewarto in Seskoad.

In Seskoad, the US-intellectual-trainees were given chance to teach soldiers. There were a mutual corporation between pro-US civil-military. After tragedy 1965 and Indonesian people massacre—on the sue of communist—this team began to develop “New Indonesia”. The Economy Doctor trained by Ford came back to Indonesia and immediately joined this group, and one of them was Emil Salim.

General Suharto formed Trium-Virat (three-legs governing) with Adam Malik and Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX. Ransom wrote, “On 12 April 1967, Sultan announced an important political statement. It was the new regime economic program syllabus which defined that they were about to bring Indonesia to Imperialism Policy written by Widjoyo and Sadly.”

Ransom continued, “in detailing the above Sultan stated economic programs, the technocrats were trained by US. When Widjojo was confused in planning economy stabilization program, AID invited David Cole, a Harvard economist who just designed banking regulation in South Korea. The invitation of David Cole due to the inability of Sadli to make a foreign capital investment regulation. He needed a lot of helps from US Embassy in Indonesia.

This was the beginning phase of Five Year Developing Plan program phase (in Indonesian language: Rancangan Pembangunan Lima Tahunan or abbreviated Repelita). This program was devised by US-trainee-economist who were directly tutored by US, corporate with the existed foundations.

June 1968, General Suharto wordlessly and suddenly held reunion with Ford trainees—known as “Mafia Berkeley” (to design the Developing Cabinet Structure and other elite level institutions). The Economics Faculty Dean of Indonesian University Sumitro Djojohadikusumo (Doctor of Philosophy from Rotterdam) was pointed as Commerce Minister, Widjojo Nitisastro (Doctor of Philosophy Berkeley, 1961) was pointed as BBPN Director, Emil Salim (Doctor of Philosophy, Berkeley, 1964 ) was pointed as Vice President of BPN, Subroto (Doctor of Philosophy from Harvard, 1964) was pointed as Marketing and Business General Director, Ali Wardhana (Doctor of Philosophy, Berkeley, 1962), was pointed as Chancellor of Exchequer, Moh.Sadli (Master of Science, MIT, 1956) was pointed as PMA Chairman, Barli Halim (MBA Berkeley, 1959) was pointed as General Secretary of Industry Department, and Sudjatmoko (Adam Malik counselor) was pointed as Indonesian Ambassador in Washington, the main key of Jakarta-Washington.

“New Indonesia” economic team worked under the direct instruction of Development Advisory Service (DAS), Harvard supported by Ford Foundation. “We work behind the screen” said Lister Gordon, the Vice President of DAS. US soon propped up the new ruler with all they had so that Indonesia economy—intentionally destructed by US in 1965—slowly recovered.

The team was behind the Repelita program which firstly started in 1969, by foreign capital investment and agricultural products as in order of priority. In many cases, central bureaucrats counted on military elites in regions to control this Ford Program. They cooperated with regional figures as land lords and administrative officers. The impact, there formed new groups who enriched themselves and their own family. Central and regional groups gave benefits each other, and they pressed the farmers who really worked at the field. (continued)

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Who Was Suharto (3)

After World War II, US perceived Russia as the only side that banned their hegemony on the world. Thus, Marshall Plan was launched as an effort to cease the wider communism ambience, from East Asia to Southeast Asia—strategic regions seen in the subject of world trade and geopolitics, also rich of source and people. US was clearly worried if those districts empowered by Russia. Off those regions, Indonesia was the most strategic and richest. US deeply understood this situation, then no wonder if Indonesia was the only one nation named in the Marshall Plan .Yet, to overpower Indonesia, US hardly found a way as this nation was being led by a tough, smart, and difficult president, i.e. Bung Karno. It was no other way, this man had to be eliminated. History had properly written that CIA got involved in any rebel deeds to Bung Karno’s power. CIA also sent its cadets to education subject, approached and steered political party (for example through PSI) tutored its men in local army, etc. After failing for many times in stepping down Bung Karno, in the end of 1965, Bung Karno was successfully abolished.

After the occasion of 1 October 1965, General Suharto controlled this nation. Third week until the beginning of 1966, he ordered his men to execute possibly million members people of PKI (Indonesian Communist Party), without fair judgment from the court. International media was silent to this human crime which was more cruel than Polpot regime in Cambodia—as US were given benefit from this.

The falling down of Bung Karno and raising of General Suharto were joyfully celebrated by Washington. President Nixon even called it as “The Biggest Gift from Southeast Asia.” A country with a strategic position, loaded of natural resources, and so on, had been powered in only short time and was set to be a “slave” for Western imperialism dignity.

On November 1967, General Suharto assigned a pro-AS economic team to meet the international Jewish in Switzerland. Doctoral dissertation of Brad Sampson from Northwestern University US explored the Indonesian historical facts in the beginning of New Order. Prof Jeffrey Winters was assigned as the promoter. Australian Indonesianist, John Pilger in The New Rulers of The World quoted Sampson and wrote;

“On November 1967, following to the catching of “The Biggest Gift” (US government’s term to the collapse of Bung Karno and replaced by Suharto), the results were divided. The Time Life Corporation sponsored a special conference in Geneva, Switzerland, which in only three days designed Indonesian’s take over.

The attendants were from the most influence capitalist in the world, people like David Rockefeller. All the western giant corporation were represented by bank and oil company, General Motors, Imperial Chemical Industries, British Leyland, British American Tobacco, American Express, Siemens, Goodyear, The International Paper Corporation, US Steel, ICI, Leman Brothers, Asian Development Bank, Chase Manhattan, etc.”

Across the table, there sat Suharto’s men—named by Rockefeller and other Jewish businessmen as corrupt Indonesian economist. In Geneva, Indonesian Team were known as The Berkeley Mafia as some of them given a scholarship from US government to study in California University in Berkeley. They came as a beggar conveying what their boss wanted. They offered the points from their nation and people; a cheap and abundant labor, plentiful resource and its spare, dan wide market.”

In the second day, the Indonesian economist had been divided into sectors. Prof. Jeffrey Winters called “this was done by a spectacular way.” They divided into five sections; mining in one room, services in other room, minor industry in other room, banking and monetary in the next room; which was done by Chase Manhattan sitting with a delegation dictated policies which could be accepted by anther investors. These huge corporation leaders walks from one table to another, saying, ‘This is what we want, that is what we want, this, this, and this.” They basically designed a law infrastructure in investing their capital—which also surely gave them its benefits. I had never heard that sort of situation before, where global capitals sat with the representation from a self-governing country and designed condition terms to give freedom investment to their own region.”

Freeport got copper mount in West Papua (Henry Kissinger, American-Jewish businessman as Commissioner Board). A European consortium acquired Nickel in also West Papua. The giant Alcoa obtained the biggest from Indonesian bauxite. A group of American, Japan, and French company contracted tropical jungles in Kalimantan, Sumatera, and West Papua.”

A foreign capital investment law was hurriedly given to President Suharto and it made the country robbery was blessed by the Indonesian government and free of tax for another five years. Suharto lectured Indonesian people with Pancasila development propaganda, and trickle down effect to its welfare progress. Yet, what the actual happened was systematical people poverty.(continued)

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Who Was Suharto (2)

Colonel Pranoto Rekso Samoedro was appointed to be Pangdam Diponegoro replacing Suharto. Pranoto, ‘the religious soldier’, withdrew all the facilities owned by Kodam Diponegoro which were rented by Suharto to Chinese businessmen for his personal needs. No wonder then, Suharto was also disenchanted by Pranoto, Nasution and Yani.

In SSKAD, Suharto was a candidate of Senate Leader. But, DI. Panjaitan resisted and he declared a distrust to Suharto. Panjaitan marked Suharto as someone who could be trusted as Suharto got so many bad track records in his military career—for example a smuggling with Chinese businessmen and used a reason to strengthen his military unit, as in fact, he used it to enrich himself.

For all that occasion, Suharto was really infuriated. Besides to Nasution, Yani, and Pranoto, Suharto’s vengeance was now to Panjaitan also. In 1 Octover 1965 Event, all Suharto’s enemies—Nasution, Yani, and Panjaitan—become the murder target, while Suharto himself—the second people in Army—was not in the list.

When Yani was killed, Bung Karno appointed Pranoto Rekso Samudro as Chief of Army, but Pranoto was intercepted by Suharto, so it was Suharto who took over the Army leader. To avoid a civil war, as Siliwangi in West Java (Ibrahim Adjie) and KKO (marine) in East Java had pledged to always support Sukarno and if Sukarno ordered to ‘sweep’ Suharto’s force in Jakarta, then Sukarno appointed Suharto as Army Commander on October 14th, 1965. (continued)

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