We'll get tough, Wiranto says<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) has threatened to take
\nstern action against anyone attempting to disrupt the Nov. 10
\nthrough Nov. 13 Special Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) as it believes the event is the "only gateway" to
\na democratic Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces Commander Gen.
\nWiranto maintained that the session, as part of the national
\npolitical agenda, must be secured and followed through.<\/p>\n
"If there are still groups in the community who want to
\ndisrupt the session, they are not democratic... ABRI will get
\ntough with them," Wiranto said before attending a Cabinet meeting
\nat the Bina Graha presidential office.<\/p>\n
Some 30,000 Armed Forces personnel have been deployed to
\nsafeguard both the event and the city ahead and during the
\nsession. Thousands of civilians have joined forces with the Armed
\nForces to ensure the city remains secure.<\/p>\n
The upcoming session has been scheduled to deliberate and pass
\n12 draft decrees, including one on the rescheduling of the
\ngeneral election from 2002 to May or June 1999.<\/p>\n
A stipulation in the draft decree, however, has sparked public
\nprotests as it guarantees the Armed Forces seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
Many have urged that the Armed Forces should be represented
\nonly in the MPR, while the House should comprise only members
\nelected in general elections.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, 20 students from the University of Indonesia
\ngrouped in the Students Action Front (KAM-UI) filed a petition
\nagainst the military's presence in the House to the legislators
\nat the legislative building on Jl. Gatot Subroto, Central
\nJakarta. They met -- on two separate occasions -- with
\nlegislators Andi Mattalata, Marwah Daud Ibrahim, and Aulia
\nRachman of the dominant Golkar and Endin A.J. Soefihara of the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
They urged the legislators to fight for their aspiration that
\nthe military be ejected from the House.<\/p>\n
If passed by the Assembly, the draft decree would be superior
\nto other laws and would dictate the making of lower-level
\npolitical laws which touch on the same issue.<\/p>\n
As the only faction lobbying for the removal of the military
\nfrom the House, Endin of PPP told the students the party would
\nfight on for the cause, even if it meant decision-making through
\nvoting. "The PPP has no fear of losing in voting. The sure thing
\nis that we will fight for people's aspirations," Endin said as
\nreported by Antara.<\/p>\n
A dozen other activists led by playwright Ratna Sarumpaet
\narrived to strongly reproach the body. The activists -- including
\nhuman rights campaigner H.J.C. Princen and Pius Lustrilanang --
\nchallenged the Armed Forces faction at the Assembly to establish
\na "democratic transitional government".<\/p>\n
They walked out in anger because they found the legislators
\n"not serious" about hearing their aspirations.<\/p>\n
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, some 100 Moslem students
\nstaged a protest in front of the provincial legislature on
\nWednesday to demand that the Special Session scrap the obligation
\nthat all political parties adopt state ideology Pancasila as
\ntheir sole ideology.<\/p>\n
In Padang, West Sumatra, former minister of transmigration
\nSiswono Yudohusodo on Wednesday said public pressure must be
\namplified to keep the "questionable" Assembly's Special Session
\non the same track as public aspirations.<\/p>\n
"People should remind those within the Assembly building that
\ntheir decisions will affect the interests of the whole nation
\n(not one certain group only)," he said.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, a group of some 700 residents from nearby
\nTangerang regency threw their full support behind the Special
\nSession. They demonstrated in front of former defense minister
\nGen. (ret) M. Jusuf's house on Jl. Teuku Umar, Central Jakarta,
\nto demand that the 70-year-old statesman mediate rifts within
\nsociety concerning the Special Session. However Jusuf was in
\nUjungpandang.<\/p>\n
In Bali, Antara reported that thousands of Hindus plan to hold
\nmass prayers on Friday at Besakih temple, calling for divine help
\nso that the Special Session proceeds smoothly.
\n(30\/28\/29\/msa\/imn\/prb\/aan)<\/p>",
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