VIVAnews – 81 years ago today, on 13 January 1927, General Soemitro, former commander of Kopkamtib under Soeharto’s administration, was born.
Soemitro was one of the most prominent Indonesian generals in the early years of the New Order regime. He started his military career by joining PETA (Defenders of the Motherland), a local auxiliary force set up by the Japanese. After Indonesia’s independence, Soemitro joined the Indonesian army and spent the first twenty years of his military career near his hometown in East Java.
In 1965, after a brief position as commander of Kodam (Regional Army Command) Mulawarman in East Kalimantan, Soemitro served as staff to Major General Soeharto, then commander of the Army. At the time, Soeharto was on the brink of becoming Indonesia’s most powerful person.
After Soekarno formally handed over his de facto power to Soeharto through Supersemar (Eleventh March Presidential Order), Soemitro was appointed commander of Kodam Brawijaya in East Java.
In 1970, under Soeharto administration, Soemitro was appointed deputy commander of the Operational Command for the Restoration of Security and Order (Kopkamtib), then the most powerful unit within the armed forces. Three years later, Soemitro reached the zenith of his military career when he was promoted as commander of Kopkamtib and deputy commander of Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI, now TNI).
By the end 1973, a quarrel broke out between Soemitro and General Ali Murtopo, Soeharto’s private counselor. As an enlightened general, Soemitro want to reform the armed forces and have it distanced from politics, while Murtopo wish the military to become even more involved in state politics as well as its economy. Soemitro’s opposition toward the government went so far as to do nothing against the criticism directed at the regime. In fact, he even began holding talks in universities and calling for a new leadership.
On 14 January 1974, Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka visited Jakarta. On 15 and 16 January, a mass protest, which later turned violent (the Malari incident), broke out in Jakarta leaving 11 dead, 300 injured and 775 arrested. A number of cars and buildings were burned and destroyed. During the crucial moment, Soemitro who was responsible for the country’s security and order almost did nothing about it. He began to take measures days later after Tanaka left Indonesia. His reputation, however, has already ruined in the eyes of the government to an unrepairable degree.
Not long after the Malari incident, Soemitro resigned as commander of Kopkamtib followed by his resignation as deputy commander of ABRI.
After retiring from the army, Soemitro became a businessman. He died in Jakarta on 10 May 1998, only days prior to Soeharto’s resignation as president.
