SUHARTO REVIEWING TROOPS; SHOTS OF TROOPS; FOREIGN DIPLOMATS WATCHING.




Initials JP/VS/AS/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: MORE THAN 500-THOUSAND INDONESIAN TROOPS CELEBRATED ARMED FORCES DAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY YESTERDAY (SATURDAY).

PRESIDENT SUHARTO REVIEWED A PARADE OF THE ARMY, NAVY, POLICE AND AIRFORCE UNITS AT THE SOVIET-BUILT STADIUM AT SENAJAN, JUST OUTSIDE JAKARTA. THE PRESIDENT TOLD THE MEN THAT ARMED FORCES DAY WAS BEING CELEBRATED MODESTLY THIS YEAR BECAUSE NATIONAL EFFORT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THERE WAS NO FLY-PAST OR DISPLAY OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT AS IN FORMER PRESIDENT SOEKARNO'S TIME.

THE CELEBRATION CAME AMIDST WIDESPREAD REPORT OF CHANGES IN SOME ORIGINAL COMMAND POSITIONS AS WELL AS IN THE CENTRAL ARMY HIERARCHY. AS WELL, FORMER PRESIDENT SOEKARNO IS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY THE MILITARY AND INTERROGATED. IT IS BELIEVED THAT A CAPTURED COMMUNIST HAD LINKED THE NAME OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT WITH COMMUNIST PARTY UNDERGROUND OPERATIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTS, HOWEVER, INDICATING THAT FORMER PRESIDENT SOEKARNO HAS NEVER LEFT HIS RESIDENCE AT BOGOR NEAR JAKARTA WHERE HE LIVES UNDER MILITARY GUARD.