Retired General unearths murky `truths'

Imanuddin Razak ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 03/22/2009 2:02 PM  |  Bookmark

JP/P.J. LEO

The decision to launch Sintong Panjaitan: Perjalanan Seorang Prajurit Para Komando (Sintong Panjaitan: The Story of a Commando) on March 11, 2009 perhaps had no direct political motive as it was meant to hitch a ride on one of the most crucial dates in Indonesian history in an effort to make the book a memorable one as well.

But, from the fact that the book immediately caused controversy in the national media, it could be concluded that the manuscript is political. The political flavor is enhanced by the fact that book was launched when the nation is expecting two elections - legislative and presidential - this year.

Most chapters in the book, which was written by veteran journalist Hendro Subroto, based on a personal account of the subject in the book itself and on the writer's own observations, tell of Sintong Panjaitan's experiences and success stories in various fields of battle, defending the nation's integrity and fighting against secessionist and terrorist acts in the country.

A 1963 graduate of the National Military Academy, Sintong spent most of his military career in antiterrorism activities and missions under the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus). He was among troops sent to quell separatist and rebel activities in various parts of the country.

Sintong's most prominent experience was undoubtedly the success of the antiterrorism group which he led in March 1981 in releasing Indonesian passengers onboard Garuda Indonesia's DC-9 Woyla aircraft, which was hijacked to Bangkok, Thailand. Sintong, then a lieutenant colonel, commanded a 30-member antiterrorism team that managed to release the 48 passengers unhurt and killed all five hijackers within three minutes.

The "Woyla" success story was indeed a team success, involving long and tiring preparations which included simulation onboard a similar DC-9 aircraft and careful trial and error and examination of the types of rifle to be used in a volatile aircraft cabin. It involved a rigid military discipline, where leadership played an important part in the team members' obedience to orders and operational guidelines.

And Sintong gained respect from his subordinates not just because he was their superior, but also because he did not merely give orders, but led by example. One brief example was in early 1965 when as a platoon commander, Sintong led a team of a dozen troops in pursuit of DI/TII rebel leader Kahar Muzakkar who was hiding in the South Sulawesi jungle. As he observed one of his troops, a corporal, twice failing to launch the mortar, he initially scolded him. But in the end, Sintong took over the mortar launching from the corporal and fired it himself.

However, Sintong suffered the most serious blow to his military career when a street protest turned violent in Dili, East Timor, on Nov. 12, 1991. As commander of the Udayana Regional Military Command, which also oversaw East Timor, Sintong was in Magelang, Central Java, for a coordination meeting with the Army chief when the violent protest occurred.

He was removed from his command position following the protest, which killed dozens of protesters. Some reports say the fatalities reached a hundred. Sintong was then transferred to nonoperational job at the Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters before he was recruited as an advisor for security and defense to then vice president B.J. Habibie in 1994. He was appointed presidential advisor for security and defense when Habibie replaced Soeharto as president on May 21, 1998.

Nobody's perfect, including Sintong. The book records two unpleasant encounters between Sintong and Prabowo Subianto - previously the son-in-law of then president Soeharto.

The first one was in May 1985 when Sintong, then commander of Kopassandha (the previous name of Kopassus) ordered the transfer of Prabowo from Kopassandha to the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

The second one was in May 1998, immediately after the transfer of power from Soeharto to B.J. Habibie. Sintong was presidential advisor on defense and security affairs, when president Habibie ordered the dismissal of then Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto as Kostrad commander following security uncertainty, mainly in Jakarta, after Soeharto's downfall. In the book, Sintong dismissed the allegations that he was the one who suggested Habibie dismiss Prabowo as the Kostrad chief.

As well as these encounters, the book also reveals a controversial event when then Capt. Prabowo, deputy chief of Kopassus's antiterrorism squad Detasemen 81, maneuvered to take to task the then assistant to the Armed Forces chief for security and defense Lt. Gen. L.B. "Benny" Moerdani and a number of other generals over reports that Moerdani and friends were involved in a planned coup against the ruling government. The reported coup had never happened, but the event had ruined the previously good relationship between Prabowo and his direct commander in the antiterrorism squad Maj. Luhut Panjaitan and also the Prabowo-Sintong and the Prabowo-Moerdani relationships since then.

To sum up, the book is based on personal accounts, experiences and perceptions toward events surrounding the subject in the book - Sintong Panjaitan - himself. There might be some discrepancies in viewing and understanding all the events mentioned, others involved in the events might have different opinions and perceptions than Sintong's.

Like the story of the blind men and an elephant. In various versions of the tale, a group of blind men (or men in the dark) touch an elephant to learn what it is like. Each one touches a different part, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then compare notes on what they felt and learn they are in complete disagreement.

The story is used to indicate that reality may be viewed differently depending upon one's perspective, suggesting that what seems an absolute truth may be relative due to the deceptive nature of half-truths.

Similarly, all parties involved in the events Sintong Panjaitan experienced should adopt the wisdom behind the story of the blind men and an elephant. If any of them disagree with Sintong's account, they should react in the same manner as the Commando has done - write a book of their own account and let the readers and the people evaluate and decide on the substance.

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