‘Jakarta?’ they shouted, in unison. Could it really be possible?
‘You received the promotion?’ Ibu Purwadira’s face was just as surprised.
Although she had been given advance warning of the pending decision, she had not dared hope that it would come true.
‘Yes, it was confirmed by General Sutjipto this morning. He rang from Jakarta.’
‘You’ve known since this morning?’ his wife asked, too overcome with excitement to be annoyed.
‘Yes,’ the colonel replied, his eyes dancing mischievously. ‘ I wanted to be sure that you would all be awake.’ Hani pouted, knowing this not to be true.
She watched her mother smile lovingly at her father, all present aware that the colonel would first have given thanks at the mosque, before discussing his appointment with the family. Her mother then reached across the table and pinched her father’s arm affectionately.
‘When?’ she asked, and Hani became even more attentive.
‘Next week,’ the colonel advised. ‘ They want me there before the fasting starts, and I agreed.’
‘Ramadan in the capital? Wonderful!’
‘Will we return to Sukabumi for the holidays?’ Hani was concerned that she would miss the celebrations with her friends. These followed the demanding month-long fast, and were the highlight of the Moslem calendar.
‘No, Hani, we will have many obligations to consider in Jakarta. Also, you will all have new friends to make, and your studies to prepare for.’
‘Studies?’ Hani looked at her father, confused.
‘Yes, Hani. You will now be required to attend university.’ This announcement surprised her even more. ‘And there will be no argument,’ he added, confident that she would obey, ‘after all, a general’s children should have the best education.’ For a moment there was silence as the import of what had been said, hung in the air. Ibu Purwadira’s eyes filled with tears, and she rose and moved around the table to embrace her husband. Her dream had come true! He had been promoted in rank, and would become the new Jakarta Garrison Police Commander. The three teenagers broke into excited chatter, overwhelmed with their father’s wonderful news.
That night, Hani lay quietly conjuring up in her mind, visions of things to come. She would attend a fine university and have even finer clothes than those now hanging in her cupboards. She would be given her own car, and who knows, she might even find the right suitor to marry, in time.
With her head resting comfortably against the soft, feather pillow, Hani fell into a deep, restful sleep, her last thoughts centering on the promise of things to come, in the national capital, Jakarta.
* * * *
East Jakarta - Cijantung
Kopassus (Special Forces) Command HQ
General Praboyo
Major General Praboyo raised the baton, touching his beret in arrogant style as the command vehicle swept past his father-in-law’s home on Jalan Cend-ana, the Presidential Guard already at attention for this morning ritual.
His driver slowed measurably, maneuvered the vehicle around the barbed-wire blockade and around the two armed personnel carriers, before accelerating away through the elite suburb of Menteng, Jakarta’s central residential district. The traffic was typically slow. Praboyo used the time to prepare for the morning’s scheduled appointments, ignoring the city’s undisciplined drivers as they angrily flashed headlights, braked unnecessarily and constantly blew their horns contributing to the early morning cacophony and suffocating pollution.
The general glanced at his wrist, and decided that he would not be late for his first appointment. The gold Piaget watch, a gift from his wife to celebrate his forty-sixth birthday, caused him to smile as he was reminded of the gift his mistress had also pleasured him with just a few hours later.
Praboyo made a mental note to ring the beautiful Menadonese girl later in the day and arrange a quick visit to the home he provided in Tebet Village.
His thoughts then turned to Colonel Carruthers, and the American’s terse call the day before insisting they meet. Praboyo had been concerned with the officer’s tone, conscious that Carruthers was one ally he could not afford to lose, particularly at this point in his career. The United States had been particularly supportive, and although he recognized that the origins of their relationship related directly to his marital situation, nevertheless Praboyo believed that he was deserving of the accelerated promotions he had enjoyed since marrying the President’s daughter. After all, he mused, had he not acquitted himself admirably in a number of campaigns, such as in East Timor?
Praboyo recalled his first exposure to the Americans’ involvement in training the Special Forces anti-terrorist squads, and how their ongoing relationship with the Indonesian military had survived the purge which followed President Suhapto’s successful 1966 coup d’etat. Although still in high school at the time, he had already decided to enter ABRI, the Indonesian Armed Forces, once he had graduated, and make the army his career. He had first become interested in Kopassus when it was still known as Kopassandha, the Covert Warfare Forces Command, and boasted three battalion-sized para-commando units and a support battalion specializing in covert warfare.
It was obvious to the young officer, even then, that the Special Forces enjoyed privileges not afforded to others, and he had decided to work towards achieving a position within the well-funded command. When the United States covertly organized the formation of Detachment 81, an anti-terrorist unit comprising some 350 highly trained soldiers, Praboyo was overjoyed to be posted to this Kopassus unit. Just two years later, his team was flown to Bangkok when an Indonesian domestic flight had been hijacked from Sumatra, and flown to Thailand. In the resulting confrontation, they killed all but one of the hijackers, several of the airline crew, and left a trail of blood across the international airport’s tarmac that still sent chills through officialdom, whenever the mission was mentioned.
Praboyo was most proud of his achievements during the East Timor campaign. When the former Portuguese colony was invaded on 7th December, 1975, the Special Forces were the first troops to enter Dili where they systematically annihilated most forms of resistance. Throughout the following two years, his teams were sent also into North Sumatra in operations against the Aceh Liberation Movement, utilizing the very tactics rehearsed under the watchful eyes of their American instructors during their training programs in the United States. General Praboyo appreciated the significance of that training, and the necessity for the alliance.
Ambitious to the core, he used the capture of the East Timorese Resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao, to further ingratiate himself with the Palace. Praboyo clearly understood the power he had acquired as Commander, Special Forces, and the assumption that his star would continue its accelerated ascent due to his father-in-law’s sponsorship. Although his status within military circles still necessitated frequent displays of humility, he had little doubt that his future included the strong possibility that he just might succeed the President, once he had been appointed Chief of the Armed Forces.
Even a near miss with a speeding cement truck failed to ruffle the young general on this day. Foremost on his mind was not the imminent meeting with the American officer, but the success his assassination teams had recently achieved in East Java; missions he had personally planned and directed. Praboyo cared not that responsibility for the destruction of these churches would be laid at the feet of Moslem extremists. That was part of his strategy. Now, he believed, it was time to cease the attacks and demonstrate once again how effectively he could control such outbreaks of violence and insurrection in the provinces.
He would be applauded by all. His allegiance with the powerful Mufti Muharam would be strengthened