Bonafide debt-collectors welcomed

Bonafide debt-collectors welcomed

JAKARTA (JP): Maj. Gen. Hendropriyono, chief of the Jakarta
branch of the Agency for the Coordination of Support for National
Stability (Bakorstanasda Jaya), said yesterday that bonafide debt
collectors doing business for banks are not designated as targets
of the army-sponsored Operation Cleansing.

"The debt collectors we're after are those who use physical
coercion, not the ones doing services for banks," said the two-
star general who is popularly known as Hendro, who is also chief
of the Jakarta Military Command.

Hendro said the actions of the debt collectors using coercive
tactics could not be tolerated any longer as they cause trouble
and concern among the public.

Speaking at the inauguration of Lt. Col. Ariffudin as the
Jakarta Military Command's new assistant intelligence chief,
Hendro elaborated further on his previous comments about
Bakorstanasda's decision to wipe out debt collectors.

"The main thing is that when something is distressing the
common people then something must be done," he remarked.

Hendro said the actions of these debt collectors have gone so
far as even kidnapping in order to obtain money from the debtors.

Operation Cleansing, which involved both military and police
personnel in the city, was launched in April to eradicate the
escalating crime rate in the city.

Crime in the capital city reached a peak with the murder of
Brig. Gen. Toga Manahan Franklin Tampubolon, a former commander
of the Army's elite paratroop Kopassus.

Bakorstanasda arrested two debt collectors last week when they
tried to forcibly extort money from a debtor.

When confronted with questions about the possibility of bank
debt collectors using similar coercive tactics, Hendro said he
had not received reports of such incidents.

"If such reports do come in with evidence to prove it then
prompt action will be taken," he said.

The inauguration of Lt. Col. Ariffudin replacing Col. Zecky
Makarim was followed by the initiation of Col. Bambang Yudoyono
who takes over from Col. Soetarto as assistant operations officer
at the Jakarta Military Command.

Col. Zecky will now move to a new post at the Armed Forces
Intelligence Agency (BIA) while Col. Soetarto will become
commander of the Manokwari military command in Irian Jaya.(mds)