Military suspects PRD role in unrest<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) suspects the outlawed
\nDemocratic People's Party (PRD) of orchestrating some of the
\nelection campaign violence.<\/p>\n
Various parties, including PRD, are using the campaign period
\nto further their political ends, including to foil the election,
\nABRI Sociopolitical Affairs Chief Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid told
\nreporters yesterday.<\/p>\n
The military had evidence linking the PRD to the campaigns so
\nthat \"it's reasonable to suspect its involvement in the violence
\nthat has happened during the campaign,\" Syarwan said.<\/p>\n
Nine PRD leaders are in jail, convicted for subversion in
\nconnection with various party activities last year, including
\norganizing a series of demonstrations.<\/p>\n
National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi said that 80
\npeople had been killed since the campaign began on April 27. Most
\ndied in traffic accidents during campaign motorcades but some
\nwere killed in clashes between rival parties.<\/p>\n
Syarwan said the series of campaign-related unrest followed a
\npattern that pointed to PRD involvement.<\/p>\n
He said military intelligence had learned of a series of
\nmeetings to plan the disruption.<\/p>\n
Leaflets found during the campaign endorsed some of the PRD's
\ngoals such as replacing the legally elected government and
\nrepealing the political laws, he said.<\/p>\n
\"These have strengthened our suspicions of PRD's role,\" he
\nsaid after leading a closed-door meeting with editors of
\nnewspapers, magazines and TV stations at ABRI headquarters.<\/p>\n
Syarwan said PRD had been disseminating malicious rumors to
\nstir trouble.<\/p>\n
\"On Sunday, a rumor that a small mosque in Otista was burned
\ndown spread quickly, reaching even as far as Yogyakarta. The
\nrumor was unfounded of course. The Jakarta Military Commander
\neven led a dusk prayer gathering there,\" he said by way of
\nexample of the disinformation campaign.<\/p>\n
Otista (Ottoiskandar Dinata) is a main road in East Jakarta
\nwhich has witnessed violent clashes between supporters of Golkar
\nand PPP. Another riot broke out there yesterday.<\/p>\n
Syarwan firmly denied the suggestion that ABRI was profiting
\nfrom the chaos.<\/p>\n
\"That's naive and simply doesn't make any sense,\" he said,
\nadding that if ABRI wanted to create trouble, \"all we would have
\nto do is sleep for two days.\"<\/p>\n
\"Every day our soldiers are in the field, showing patience and
\nrestraint. No one has died because of an ABRI shooting,\" he said.
\n\"Our soldiers are in the field to find the wisest ways to
\nsafeguard the election.\"<\/p>\n
Police, often helped by soldiers, have used mostly rubber
\nbullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.<\/p>\n
ABRI was committed to ensuring that the various phases of the
\ngeneral election proceeded smoothly, Syarwan said.<\/p>\n
There are still several phases to go through, from the
\n\"cooling-off period\" from May 23 to May 28, polling day on May
\n29, and the ensuing vote count, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We will see to it that they proceed as planned,\" he said.
\n(emb\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-suspects-prd-role-in-unrest-1447893297",
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