ABRI gears up for continual demos

ABRI gears up for continual demos

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto
warned that campus activists would continue anti-government
protests until general elections in mid-1999.

Speaking on Tuesday in a hearing with the House Commission I
on security and defense, Wiranto predicted student protesters
would continue to push for their demands, which include the
ouster of President B.J. Habibie and an end to the military's
role in politics.

"Some of the protesting students are now arranging a
systematic plan for their movement... These actions will continue
until the 1999 election," Wiranto said, adding some students
aimed "to topple the constitutional government."

Wiranto also said the students would apply the pressure for
immediate prosecution of former president Soeharto and his
family, whom many believed have abused power and amassed a
fortune over his 32-year rule.

Students have in the past several days mounted attempts to
reach Soeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana in Central Jakarta, but
were always effectively frustrated by massive security.

The four-star general said the students would continue using
the same theme for their street demonstrations, such as immediate
revelation of the investigation into the Semanggi shooting on
Nov. 13. He said students would also launch rumors that the Armed
Forces were now divided, capitalizing on the public display of
acceptance of the Marines.

"Weekly rumors of an Armed Forces leadership reshuffle were
their other means to attack ABRI's unity," he said, adding they
would also continue to press for the abolition of the Armed
Forces' dual function in security and politics.

Wiranto said most student demonstrations recently had violated
the new Law No. 9/1998 on Freedom of Expression because they did
not notify the police in advance.

Besides, "how could they have said their protests were
peaceful when they pelted security with stones and Molotov
cocktails?" he asked.

He reiterated an earlier statement that none of the security
officers deployed at the Semanggi cloverleaf on Nov. 13 had used
live bullets.

He insisted the 5.56-millimeter live bullet found in a
victim's body did not belong to the armory of any ABRI troop
unit.

"The bullet contained no serial number as do other bullets
used by ABRI troops," he said.

"The use of such a bullet, (a dum-dum) which explodes into
three pieces when hitting a human target, is prohibited by the
Geneva Convention."

"And ABRI does not issue such bullets to its troops," he
added, citing that the bullet was popularly known as Quick Shock
or Hydro Shock.

In the hearing, Wiranto covered various security issues
including the government's recent accusation that a group of
opposition figures had indeed committed treason when they issued
a joint communique on Nov. 12 calling for a provisional
government. He cited Articles 110 and 107 of the Criminal Code
(KUHP).

"The opposition figures all agreed to establish a new People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), described as MPR Reformasi, to
replace the MPR established by the 1997 general election," he
said. "They planned an unconstitutional establishment of a
presidium to replace the legitimate administration."

On the mysterious murder spree that originated in the East
Java town of Banyuwangi which had spread to other towns and had
so far claimed around 250 lives, Wiranto said it was a
politicized crime.

"The politicization of crimes has led to division between the
people and the Armed Forces, and between the people and the
government," he said, adding the ultimate result was the erosion
of public trust in the Armed Forces and the government.

He said 308 suspects have so far been detained for the
murders, some had already been tried and sentenced to between 5
months and 20 years in jail.

However, he quoted police records that the total of deaths in
the killing frenzy was 87. A number of other people had been
severely injured. (imn/prb)