ABRI briefs foreign envoys on recent riots
ABRI briefs foreign envoys on recent riots
JAKARTA (JP): Following foreign criticism of the government's
handling of the July 27-28 riots and their aftermath, the
military took the initiative yesterday and explained its stand on
the incidents to ambassadors.
"I gave them factual explanations and background to the events
leading up to the incidents," ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical
Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid told journalists after the two-
hour meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"I am here on the request of the foreign ministry, which had
many requests from foreign diplomats to explain the recent
developments," Syarwan said.
What started as a takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI) headquarters by a rival faction of ousted leader Megawati
Soekaronputri, erupted into a mass riot on July 27 which resulted
in at least three deaths and the destruction of 22 buildings, 10
of which were burned.
Disturbances continued the following day in the same area of
Central Jakarta.
The military has blamed a tiny student movement called the
Democratic People's Party (PRD) for causing the riots.
Australia, Britain and the United States have expressed
concern over the headquarters takeover by the military-backed
breakaway leader Soerjadi from the democratically-elected
Megawati, and over the rioting that followed.
Twenty ambassadors attended Syarwan's briefing. Those absent
included U.S. Ambassador Stapleton Roy and Dutch Ambassador Paul
Brouwer. Others sent representatives or their charge d'affairs.
"I got the impression that with the explanation we gave they
now understand the situation and have disposed of any
unscrupulous misgivings," Syarwan said.
During the briefing Syarwan was accompanied by the foreign
ministry's director general for social, cultural and information
relations, Djauhari Nata Atmaja.
According to Indonesian officials, the ambassadors were not
overly critical in their comments. They queried circulating
issues on the death toll and the military's crackdown of PRD
activists.
Some, such as Ribhi Awad of Palestine, stated their support
for the military's action in restoring order.
According to Syarwan, Ribhi claimed that what transpired
during the riots should not be equated with the intifada people's
uprising in Palestine. "The intifada don't attack their own armed
forces," Syarwan quoted the ambassador as saying.
Other questions included queries on whether communism could
really stage a comeback in Indonesia.
Syarwan clarified earlier assertions that the PRD were being
funded by the Australian Labor Party, as made by spokesman of the
East Java military command Lt. Col. CHB S. Soebagio last week.
"The funds came not from the Labor Party but from labor
organizations there. We have a confession from one of the PRD
leaders who was arrested," he said adding that the matter is
still under investigation.
Separately ABRI Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, during a plenary
meeting of the commanders of the Internal Security Agency,
stressed the importance of detecting and halting further
infiltrations of organizations like the PRD in society.
He underlined the need to expose connections among these
organizations so the nation can fortify itself against any such
threats. (rms/imn/mds)