Togar says protesters fail to follow the law<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M.
\nSianipar lambasted on Thursday the general failure to comply with
\na law requiring people to inform the police before staging a
\nprotest in the city.<\/p>\n
\"Only 30 to 40 percent of protest organizers have informed the
\npolice before staging their protests on the city's streets,\"
\nTogar said after attending a seminar on the prosecution of former
\npresident Soeharto at Wisma Antara in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Togar said protesters, particularly students, ignored Law No.
\n9\/1998 on Freedom of Expression, which requires a letter of
\nnotification be filed with the local police at least three days
\nprior to a protest.<\/p>\n
Togar said he was \"very concerned\" by the ongoing phenomenon.<\/p>\n
\"The law was created and endorsed by the House of
\nRepresentatives. It is binding to all people.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is a country which upholds the supremacy of law.
\nHow can we establish peace and order in society if our people
\ncasually breach the law,\" he asked.<\/p>\n
Togar said the police would not hesitate to take firm measures
\nagainst protesters who failed to comply with the law.<\/p>\n
The number of protests in the capital has escalated since
\nstudents succeeded in toppling former president Soeharto in May
\nlast year. The city's streets have been the scene of thousands of
\nprotests since last year, mostly involving students.<\/p>\n
A student activist, however, said protesters should not be
\nbound to obey the freedom of expression law, saying it was a
\nlegacy of the New Order regime.<\/p>\n
\"The DPR (House) members who produced and endorsed the law
\nwere elected in the 1997 general election, which was also a
\nproduct of the New Order government,\" a student at As-Syafi'iyah
\nIslamic University, Mixil, said.<\/p>\n
The freedom of expression law was introduced by the government
\nin October last year.<\/p>\n
Mixil, also an activist with City Forum, said freedom of
\nexpression could not be restricted by laws.<\/p>\n
\"Democracy assures people can freely air their political views
\nwithout being restrained by someone else,\" he told The Jakarta
\nPost on Thursday. (asa)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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