Two opposition figures arrested<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The police have detained two opposition figures
\n-- Hariadi Darmawan and Roch Basoeki Mangoenpoerojo -- and have
\nreportedly targeted two more.<\/p>\n
Bambang Widjojanto from the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation
\ntold reporters here yesterday that Hariadi, who chairs the
\nAssociation of University of Indonesia Alumnae and initiated the
\nNational Reform Movement, had been questioned for 13.5 hours
\nbeginning at midnight on Friday.<\/p>\n
Roch, who is a member of the opposition National Front group,
\nwas questioned from 1.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Bambang named critical playwright Ratna Sarumpaet and former
\nserviceman Brig. Gen. (ret) Ibrahim Saleh as the next police
\ntargets.<\/p>\n
Another opposition leader, Lt. Gen. (ret) Kemal Idris of
\nNational Front, who is reportedly among others targeted by
\npolice, defiantly told reporters: \"If they want to arrest me, go
\nahead. I am not afraid.<\/p>\n
\"That's a risk I am ready to take. My wife always said that
\n(arrest) is the (possible consequence) of (my) stance and I agree
\nwith that and I hold on to that,\" he added.<\/p>\n
AFP said Theo Syafei, who is a member of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), was also being questioned. The police
\ncould not be reached to confirm this.<\/p>\n
Moslem leader Abdurrahman Wahid was rumored to have been
\narrested, but he said that the Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief of
\nSociopolitical Affairs, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and
\nthe chief of the Jakarta Military Command, Maj. Gen. Djadja
\nSuparman, had telephoned to inform him that the military never
\nhad any intention to arrest him.<\/p>\n
\"I am safe here. Actually, we are trying to find a way to
\ncompromise with the military because the military also belongs to
\nus as a nation. We should not let any efforts to discredit them
\nsucceed,\" Abdurrahman said.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie, in a televised address on the security
\nsituation on Saturday, spoke of groups indulging in actions that
\nare tantamount to rebellions.<\/p>\n
He did not name names. However, Bambang believed the President
\nwas referring to a group of 17 people who on Thursday issued \"a
\njoint communique\" calling for the establishment of a \"Provisional
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly\" and, eventually, a presidium
\nwhich would serve as a provisional government.<\/p>\n
\"The presidium will in turn establish the Provisional Reform
\nCabinet,\" the group said in a statement signed by, among others,
\nKemal Idris, Ali Sadikin of the Petisi 50 opposition group,
\neconomist Sri Edi Swasono and Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, the
\nyoungest daughter of founding president Sukarno.<\/p>\n
The group explained the presidium was to be manned by
\ncommunity leaders and figures from universities, and mass and
\npolitical organizations. The presidium was to be tasked with
\norganizing a free and fair general election early next year,
\nestablishing a new people's consultative assembly, and taking
\nsteps to bring about clean governance.<\/p>\n
The presidium was also to \"investigate all abuse of power by
\nstate officials, beginning with former president Soeharto and
\nPresident B.J. Habibie, both of whom have committed various
\npolitical, economic, social and cultural crimes.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Habibie worked late into the night at the State
\nPalace. He received some community leaders, including Anwar
\nHarjono of the Islamic Propagation Council (DDI), Ahmad
\nTirtosudiro of the Muslim Intellectuals Organization (ICMI), Siti
\nHartati Murdaya from a Buddhist organization, Ali Yafie of the
\nIndonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), Cosmas Batubara, Frans Seda,
\nMaraden Panggabean and Oka Mahendra.<\/p>\n
Late on Saturday, Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said
\nHabibie had completely entrusted the task of restoring order to
\nWiranto, including making arrests if necessary.<\/p>\n
He insisted Habibie would still go ahead with his plan to
\nattend the APEC summit in Kuala Lumpur next week, saying the
\npresident plans to depart on Tuesday Nov. 17 and return home the
\nfollowing day.<\/p>\n
According to Akbar, Habibie has yet to express his desire to
\nmeet with reform leaders Amien Rais, Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri and Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. (01\/swe\/prb\/byg)<\/p>",
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