ABRI braced for MPR special session

ABRI braced for MPR special session

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces has vowed to safeguard the
upcoming special session of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR), saying on Monday it would not tolerate any campaign to
prevent or disrupt the event.

Secretary-general of the Ministry of Defense Lt. Gen. Soeyono
promised an all out effort to protect the House of
Representatives (DPR)/People's Consultative Assembly for the Nov.
10 - Nov. 13 proceedings. He was asked to comment on speculation
that massive demonstrations would be held to force legislators to
leave the compound and meet in other places.

"ABRI must be ready to safeguard the Assembly's special
session from any disturbances, including efforts to prevent the
event from going ahead and moving the site to other places," he
said.

"The DPR/MPR building is a prestigious place and the special
session should not be moved to other places," he told reporters
after opening a seminar at the ministry.

There have been reports -- which the government and the
military have denied -- that in addition to preparations at the
legislature in South Jakarta, nearby Hotel Mulia Senayan and
Jakarta Hilton International are being readied to accommodate the
proceedings should the need arise.

In May, hundreds of thousands of students occupied the House
building during a demonstration against former president
Soeharto.

In recent days there have also been reports that students are
planning massive demonstrations against the special session.

Separately, National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said on
Monday that police would be ready to safeguard the political
agenda, regardless of where the session takes place.

"We'll be ready to secure the meetings, even if the House
Speaker eventually decides to move the Session to a hotel or even
to a warship," he said on the sidelines of a gathering with
Moslem groups and civilians at Senayan Sports Complex in South
Jakarta.

He said police would also deploy civilians to secure the
session.

"The civilians will be organized as volunteer groups. They
will be posted in residential areas and shopping centers near
their houses."

"At least 125,000 residents have officially registered as
members of the groups," he said.

The police chief said that about 16,800 security personnel,
consisting of 11,800 police officers and 5,000 soldiers, would be
deployed at the DPR/MPR compound.

"Our (troops) will be concentrated at the DPR/MPR building and
in the surrounding areas. That's why we need civilians to help
secure the (other parts of the) city during the session," he
said.

Roesmanhadi also noted that several groups of people were
planning to stage demonstrations near the DPR/MPR building during
the event.

"Many groups have informed the chief of the Jakarta Police,
chiefs of police districts and chiefs of police precincts about
their plans to stage demonstrations on those days," he told
reporters.

He said he appreciated the groups informing the security
authorities of their plans to stage demonstrations in advance,
saying that it was in compliance with the newly enacted Law No.
9/1998 on Freedom of Expression.

Support for the special session continued to be voiced by
various groups on Monday, including the Indonesian Council of
Ulemas (MUI), which expressed its support for the government's
reform agenda. The ulemas also spoke out against any
unconstitutional activities.

"Any efforts to foil the special session, to set up a cabinet
presidium, or dissolve the MPR and DPR and replace them with a
popular committee are unconstitutional," said council executive
Lukman Harun as quoted by Antara.

Backing for the government's reform agenda was also voiced by
the Communication Forum for Moslem Ulemas and Public Figures, who
plan to hold a gathering of 200,000 Moslems from Jakarta and its
environs to demonstrate their support in the near future.

"We demand that President B.J. Habibie's government organize
(the items in the reform agenda) in accordance with the schedule
already approved," said Forum chairman Abdul Rasyid Abdullah
Syafi'i in a press statement.

The forum said it also disagrees with all efforts to topple
Habibie's administration and replace it with an interim
government.

"There is no guarantee that a transitional government will
comply with the reform agenda," Cholil Badawi, a member of the
forum, said. (imn/emf)