ABRI threatens antigovernment activists<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
\nwarned yesterday antigovernment groups against attempting to
\ndisturb the general session of the People's Consultative Assembly
\nnext March.<\/p>\n
He said the military had also taken some proactive measures to
\nanticipate and detect any such attempt. Speaking to reporters
\nafter meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace, Feisal
\nsaid ABRI would enforce the laws on any antigovernment movement.<\/p>\n
\"We hope those people will act constitutionally, if they
\nbelieve they are constitutional then the law will judge whether
\nthey have violated the Constitution,\" the general said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto told ABRI at the commemoration of its 52nd
\nanniversary Sunday that the Armed Forces were obliged to
\nguarantee that the assembly proceed smoothly and safely.<\/p>\n
The Assembly is expected to elect a president, vice president
\nand endorse the State Policy Guidelines for the 1998\/2003 period
\nwhen it convenes in March.<\/p>\n
During yesterday's press conference, Feisal spoke about
\nseveral groups alleged to have attempted to undermine the
\ngovernment. One of the groups was the \"Tenth Division\", which
\nincludes admirers of the late president Sukarno who conduct
\nillegal military exercises in East Java.<\/p>\n
\"They may face criminal charges or even subversion charges,\"
\nFeisal said of the 60 people, including three ABRI deserters,
\narrested in Malang. The group was said to be influenced by Arief
\nKusno Saputro who claimed to be the reincarnation of Sukarno.<\/p>\n
The group provided military training for members to prepare
\nthem to \"safeguard Sukarno and secure the general assembly of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly\" next March.<\/p>\n
\"They wanted to set up their own Armed Forces, they made their
\nown ranks from captain to general and had their own uniforms and
\ntheir own military training,\" Feisal said.<\/p>\n
Wahab identified the deserters as Lt. Col. Kunandar of the
\nArtillery Training Center in Cimahi, West Java; Sgt. Maj.
\nSuripto, a logistic staff official of the Army Strategic Reserves
\nCommand's (Kostrad) second division; and First Sgt. Ekpriadi of
\nthe Navy Headquarter's Data Center.<\/p>\n
Feisal also spoke of a group of 21 people arrested in Bekasi
\nrecently for allegedly attempting to set up a separate Islamic
\nstate.<\/p>\n
City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said recently the
\nsuspects had declared an Islamic state in place of the Republic
\nof Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Feisal accompanied yesterday his counterpart from Guinea-
\nBissau Brig. Gen. Ansamane Mane to pay a courtesy call on the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
\"Mane told me that he will brief his government about the real
\nsituation in East Timor,\" Feisal said.<\/p>\n
Guinea-Bissau is a small country with a population of one
\nmillion on Africa's West Coast. It was formerly Portuguese Guinea
\nuntil it won its independence from Portugal in 1974.<\/p>\n
During their talks, Feisal offered to train officers of
\nGuinea's 2,000-strong military.<\/p>\n
\"They can invite some of their officers to get training here,\"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
Tension<\/p>\n
Separately, Moslem scholar Abdurrahman Wahid warned the
\ncommunity yesterday about rising political tension as the country
\napproaches the general assembly.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the 30 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama also
\nnoted possible political conspiracies, especially in connection
\nwith the vice presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"There will be certain pressure groups waging a campaign for
\ntheir own vice presidential candidates,\" he said at his office.<\/p>\n
But he said the alleged conspiracies could backlash and
\nprovoke people's anger.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, also warned of possible
\nrioting and increasing violence.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not sure that the people's violent actions in the riots
\nin the past were spontaneous. I believe they were provoked,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Abdurrahman called on members of the House
\nof Representatives to \"rehabilitate\" their public image.<\/p>\n
Whether this effort could succeed, however, will depend on the
\nquality of the new members, he said.<\/p>\n
He also noted people's growing apathy of the political
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
\"People are now less interested in state political affairs,\"
\nhe said. (prb\/imn)<\/p>",
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