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Veterans urged to speak out for peace
The challenges faced by war veterans from Indonesia and other ASEAN countries have changed, and so must their ways of thinking, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said
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he challenges faced by war veterans from Indonesia and other ASEAN countries have changed, and so must their ways of thinking, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said.
“We are indeed… challenged by the 21st [Century] realms of fast global changes. The wars today are not merely defined in military realms but there are… economical, political, social and cultural wars,” he said as he opened a general meeting of veterans’ associations of ASEAN countries in Jakarta.
The Veteran Confederation of ASEAN Countries (Veconac) kicked off its 13th General Assembly on Monday, bringing together dozens of members of the Indonesian Veteran Legion (LVRI) and delegates from other member countries.
LVRI chairman Lt. Gen. (ret.) Rais Abin said that among the most important issues raised at Veconac concerned upholding peace and harmony, welfare and how to avoid conflicts between ASEAN countries.
They will also discuss other issues such as economic cooperation between member countries and women veterans.
The Veconac was established in 1980 and comprises war veterans and soldiers from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.
The Veconac congress is held every two years. On Monday, Veconac welcomed its eighth member, Cambodia.
Veterans from Myanmar and Laos are also attending the congress. Observers from Timor Leste came to the event as guests.
LVRI spokesman Brig. Gen. Yusuf Chuseinsaputra told the The Jakarta Post that the meeting sought to strengthen friendship and cooperation between countries.
“Ex soldiers are the ones who know most about the wars and the sufferings they bring… So [we think] there is no need for disputing the borders with Malaysia,” he said. Preventing wars, he added, was one of the goals of Veconac.
The general assembly will host a lecture on ASEAN by Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa.
The event will also see the inauguration of Rais, a former military commander and former commander of the United Nations Emergency Force, as the new chairman of Veconac. The current chairman is Col. (ret.) John Morrice from Singapore.
Purnomo expressed his appreciation for Rais’ appointment. He said he hoped Indonesian veterans could contribute more during Rais’ leadership of the association. He expected LVRI members to give their best in developing ASEAN.
“The veterans should propagate their example and spirit in defending the state to the young generation in the country as well as other ASEAN member countries,” he added.
On the final day of the meeting, Veconac members will visit Kalibata National Hero Cemetery in South Jakarta, where they will lay a wreath.
They will also head to the presidential palace to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
