Certain group suspected of causing national instability

Certain group suspected of causing national instability

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung insisted
Saturday a certain group engineered riots in Tasikmalaya, West
Java and Sanggau Ledo, West Kalimantan in order to disrupt
national stability.

Speaking in Medan, North Sumatra, at the golden anniversary
celebration of the daily newspaper, Waspada, Feisal said the
group had never reached its goal, thanks to the nation's solid
resilience.

"Let's thank God and be proud of the resilience that we have
maintained for such a long time," Feisal was quoted as saying by
Antara.

"Development has given us a strong foundation as a nation,"
Feisal told some 1,000 attendants, who included local government
officials, businesspeople and sports figures.

The incident exploded less than a week after angry mobs looted
shops, set fire to churches, factories and police posts in
Tasikmalaya, following the bashing of three Islamic boarding
school teachers by police officers. Four people were killed in
the outbreak.

The riots followed the Oct. 10 riot in Situbondo, East Java,
where five people were killed and dozens of worship houses were
either burnt or damaged. A total of 53 people went on trial for
either taking part in the attack or for instigating the mass.

Feisal said at the Supreme Court's annual gathering in
Yogyakarta last Monday the authorities had identified the
mastermind of the first two riots. Evidence was being collected
to arrest the culprit, Feisal said.

The National Commission on Human Rights agreed with Feisal,
accusing a "third party" of organizing the riots in a statement
issued after investigations into the incidents finished last
Tuesday.

Feisal also reiterated the Armed Forces' commitment to take
strict measures against anyone causing unrest in the lead up to
the 1997 general election.

"The Armed Forces have already made both direct and indirect
preparations to ensure the election will run safely," Feisal
said.

"A quality election depends on whether the public exercise
their political right without fear," he added.

The general election, the sixth since 1971, will take place on
May 29.

Feisal denied the general election was a mere routine or a
political procession. "It is the substance of democratic
practices, in which the people make their political choice,"
Feisal said. (amd)