ABRI, The People’s Guardian
“Wow, the ABRI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) were so patient, didn’t become angry, emotional, kept silent, like stones when they were scolded, derided, laughed at, pointed with a finger to their very nose, pushed back, thrown with stones by demonstrators, rioters. I would ’burst’ in their place. Who could endure it? They’re human beings, not robots. Instead they were regarded in the wrong, as inhumane, when they were taking measures to restore law and order.” So someone comments when he saw this on TV recently.
We were panic stricken, we feared for our safety, our dogs, May 14, as we saw the smoke rising in the neighborhood and imagined the mob, rioters coming closer. Moreover those who helplessly saw, experienced the plunder, the fire, the outrage, affront. The presence of ABRI security forces was a relief, a blessing.
And I remembered the joy, happiness, pride of the people when the ABRI forces triumphed and succeeded to rescue the hostages in Irian Jaya.
But for the military who sacrificed their lives – “heroes” said si Upik – doing their duty to protect, safeguard, rescue the people, there was almost nothing in the papers, on TV. No silence observed, no poetry reading, no flag half pole hoisted in their honor, they’re not missed, not mourned by the public.
For these heroes and the victims who were robbed, raped, killed without any fault, who were likely to be forgotten, unnoticed, my flag waves half pole.
Suara Karya, June 19, 1998
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