Anti-crime operation to continue: Feisal

Anti-crime operation to continue: Feisal

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
says the campaign against crime, resulting in hundreds of arrests
across the country, will continue.

The campaign, code named Operasi Bersih (Operation Cleansing),
will be extended to keep the crime rate down to minimum, Feisal
said in a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission I
on security affairs yesterday.

"The crime rate has been increasing in this country, and
criminals have shown no hesitation to kill," he said. "We are
obliged to continue with Operasi Bersih until people can feel
safe."

The general, whose active service has been extended beyond the
normal retirement age of 55 by President Soeharto last month,
said the operation also targets illegal sales and production of
alcohol and the drug trade. Both of these criminal trades also
appeared to be on the rise.

The operation, which was launched in April in many parts of
Indonesia, has led to the confiscation of hundreds of fire arms
and edged weapons. The authorities have also seized illegal drugs
and alcohol. The operation is conducted by the police and
regional security agencies (Bakorstanasda).

Feisal said alcohol and drug abuse breed crime and that is why
the operation is also targeting these two areas. "Many crimes
have been committed after the actors became intoxicated or
consumed drugs, apparently to give them courage."

Feisal was accompanied to the meeting by the military's top
brass, including the National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman
Astrosemitro.

Banurusman said his officers have been cracking down on
illegal liquor manufacturers.

The government has also tightened the licenses for
manufacturers and traders of alcoholic beverages, he said.

Feisal said the authorities are also intensifying their
campaign against drug smuggling and trading, amidst increasing
indications that Indonesia is being used as a transit point by
international drug syndicates which operate from the Golden
Triangle near the Thai borders.

He said this was confirmed by the recent arrests of people at
airports in Jakarta, Bali and North Sumatra, carrying heroin and
other banned substances.

What was even more troubling, however, is that some of the
more expensive drugs are finding markets in Indonesia, notably
among youths from the middle and upper classes, he said. (rms)