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)