TNI to take strong action against troublemakers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The military here sounded a strong warning on
\nWednesday, asserting that it would not hesitate in taking \"stern
\nmeasures\" against troublemakers as Jakarta braced itself for an
\ninflux of pro-Abdurrahman Wahid supporters.<\/p>\n
Soldiers under the Jakarta Military Command have been
\ninstructed to support police efforts to secure the capital in
\nanticipation of the mass rallies, and its commander, Maj. Gen.
\nBibit Waluyo, assured that he had \"prepared his troops\".<\/p>\n
\"I will back the police to ensure security in the capital,
\neven if I must take stern measures,\" Bibit told reporters,
\nwithout revealing how many soldiers would be deployed.<\/p>\n
There are claims that as many as 400,000 people will gather in
\nJakarta on Sunday to attend a mass prayer of the Nahdlatul Ulama
\n(NU) Muslim organization.<\/p>\n
Anxiety has been further heightened by the likelihood that
\nmany of the visitors, including Abdurrahman's die-hard supporters
\ngrouped in the Defenders of Truth force, will assemble at the
\nHouse of Representatives compound the next day to observe the
\nexpected issuance of a memorandum of censure against the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Defense Mahfud MD said that,
\ninitially, 17,000 security personnel, including from the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI), would be deployed.<\/p>\n
\"If the situation turns ugly, there will be 23,000 personnel
\ndeployed. At the critical stage, which I hope will not happen, we
\nwill deploy about 42,000 personnel,\" Mahfud said, while attending
\na graduation ceremony at Mustopo Beragama University.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman conceded that
\nfears of unrest were widespread, with foreign missions here
\nalready requesting security personnel to be stationed at their
\noffices.<\/p>\n
\"All of the embassies, including the United States, have asked
\nfor protection. We will guard their offices by posting about 10
\nto 15 police personnel,\" Mulyono remarked.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro said
\nthat, while he had not issued shoot-on-site instructions,
\nsecurity personnel knew what measures should be taken in order to
\nmaintain security.<\/p>\n
\"Should there be chaos on April 29 or April 30, my men know
\nwhat kind of action to take. As you can see, none of my men are
\nequipped with live bullets ... only rubber bullets,\" Surojo
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
Commander of the Defenders of Truth, Nuril Arifin, met with
\nJakarta Garrison Commander Brig. Gen. Hasanuddin on Wednesday to
\ndiscuss security measures for Sunday's gathering.<\/p>\n
Nuril insisted that the group's presence in Jakarta was not to
\ncause chaos. Hasanuddin later remarked to reporters: \"We cannot
\nstop anybody from praying, can we?\"<\/p>\n
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, one of the
\nPresident's harshest critics, said he would not attend Sunday's
\nevent.<\/p>\n
\"I will not be attending. That gathering is a prayer ceremony
\nand one can pray anywhere, anytime, without such mass
\ngatherings,\" Amien said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Swarming<\/p>\n
Chief of the Istigoshah prayer organizing committee, Manarul
\nHidayat, claimed on Wednesday that over 400,000 people will
\nattend Sunday's event.<\/p>\n
\"They are scheduled to reach the capital on Sunday, in over
\n5,000 buses and 42 train cars. They will come from West Java,
\nCentral Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, Banten and Jakarta,\" Manarul
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
\"From Lampung, 32 buses have been allocated to shuttle NU
\nmembers. The mass prayer will also be guarded by about 750
\nvolunteers of Banser and Pagar Nusa,\" Manarul added, referring to
\nthe NU's civilian guards.<\/p>\n
The NU's West Java provincial chapter announced on Wednesday
\nthat it would send 102,000 representatives to the mass prayer.
\nThe number excludes some 70,000 members of Banser, who will be
\ndeployed to guard the NU supporters en route to and during their
\nstay in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of the NU chapter, Mohammad Sidik, said 2,040
\nbuses had been booked to transport the people. The chapter,
\nhowever, would not allocate funds for the transportation costs,
\nwhich could reach Rp 4 billion.<\/p>\n
\"The mass prayer participants will depart in groups. They will
\nbe in Jakarta by 6 a.m. on Sunday,\" Sidik said.<\/p>\n
He said he could not guarantee that the people would return to
\ntheir home towns as soon as the mass prayer ended. \"It's up to
\neach of them and we never ban them from staying longer in
\nJakarta,\" he added.<\/p>\n
In anticipation of the result of the House plenary session on
\nMonday, East Java Police have prepared 147 companies of stand-by
\ntroops. Personnel from the provincial military command and marine
\nsquad have also pledged backup support.<\/p>\n
\"We will not risk giving people a chance, albeit small, of
\ninciting riots. We are out to maintain order,\" East Java Police
\nchief Insp. Gen. Sutanto said when briefing all regional police
\nchiefs under his supervision and Deputy Governor Imam Supardi on
\nsecurity precautions for the period after the House's April 30
\nsession.<\/p>\n
Minor violence occurred in Banyuwangi on Wednesday, when a
\ngroup of people claiming to be Abdurrahman's supporters attacked
\nthe house of local Muhammadiyah branch chief H. Amly. No
\nfatalities were reported, but the raid left the house's windows
\nshattered and required Amly and his family to abandon their home.
\n(02\/25\/nur\/ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-to-take-strong-action-against-troublemakers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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