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)