ABRI warned of bloody fights over MPR session

ABRI warned of bloody fights over MPR session

JAKARTA (JP): As the Armed Forces (ABRI) further tightens its
security cordon around the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
complex, more and more people are raising fears about possible
bloody clashes between opponents and supporters of the MPR
Special Session.

The concern is prompted by the deployment of 30,000 troops and
police and about 150,000 voluntary civilian guards, including the
politically uninitiated from outside Jakarta, to secure the
session.

"Starting on Monday, anyone entering the MPR building and its
compound will have to produce the pass cards issued by the
organizing committee of the session," Police spokesman Brig.Gen
Togar M. Sianipar told reporters on Sunday.

About 160 university rectors from across the country who held
a meeting in Bandung, West Java, Saturday, urged ABRI to protect
students who, as a moral force, are fighting for the people's
aspirations.

"We stand united to defend our students in their fight for
reform," the rectors said in a statement they called the Bandung
Declaration.

H.S. Dillon, a leader of the Forum for the Fostering of
National Unity (Bakom PKB), on Sunday urged ABRI Commander
General Wiranto to prevent a situation that would pit brother
against brother.

"Please, General Wiranto, do not pit brother against brother,"
appealed Dillon in a letter to The Jakarta Post in connection
with the deployment of the civilians to face demonstrators who
oppose the MPR session.

Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubwono X warned over the
weekend against deploying civilians to secure the session as it
could fuel unnecessary conflicts.

"If clashes take place, the leaders must bear the blame," the
sultan warned.

The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association
lambasted ABRI on Sunday for taking such excessive security
measures around the MPR building to maintain the incumbent
political regime.

"This once again testifies how politically and technically
incompetent is the present administration in fairly managing the
people's aspirations," the association said in a statement signed
by chairman Hendardi.

Political scientist Daniel Sparinga condemned ABRI for
allowing civilians to help secure the session as this would only
pit civilians against civilians.

"Why must ABRI go overboard against demonstrations protesting
the MPR session," Sparinga said in Semarang on Sunday.

Dillon warned that the civilian guards had not been trained
long enough to be able to control demonstrations without
resorting to violence.

"Confronting students who are fighting for a cleaner, honest,
more equitable Indonesia with these groups (civilian guards) is
tantamount to pitting brother against brother," Dillon cautioned.

Dillon appealed to Gen. Wiranto to allow students to present
their demands to the legislators. Likewise, if others march
against these students let them too present their support for the
incumbents, he said.

"But please keep these two opposing groups apart. These
students are our children, our future. However, if let blood flow
tomorrow, if you turn away and let brother kill brother, history
will never forgive you, Pak Wiranto," Dillon added in his
appeal.

In Yogyakarta, Faisal Basri, secretary-general of the National
Mandate Party, warned on Sunday that if supporters and opponents
of the MPR session clashed it would be ABRI that would reap the
biggest benefit.

"Why, because if chaos takes place, ABRI would declare martial
law and take over power without an election. Then we will find
ourselves in jail," Faisal said.

He added ABRI was currently striving to maintain the powerful
sociopolitical role it had during the Soeharto regime.

Faisal recalled how the MPR had been tricked to include the
appointment of ABRI representatives in the House in one of its
draft decrees to be adopted at the upcoming session.

People, he added, should fight against ABRI's dual function
but without creating a chaotic situation which would only further
strengthen the military's position.

"People also should stand vigilant against those opposed to an
election because they know they will surely lose in an open, fair
and honest election," Faisal said.

The Islamic Youth Movement, which groups 12 Islamic youth
organizations, also warned on Sunday of attempts to play one
group against another.

"We should strive to guarantee that the MPR session will not
serve only as a forum to give legitimacy to the present
administration," said Idrus Marham, a spokesman for the movement.

"But we should avoid physical clashes in the run-up to the MPR
Special Session," Marham added. (swa/har/vin)