Demonstrators warned of infiltrators: Mahfud

Demonstrators warned of infiltrators: Mahfud

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Mahfud MD warned that
infiltrators could penetrate both government supporters and
opponents, who recently showed their muscle at the House of
Representatives (DPR) compound.

Deploying masses to support or protest a certain figure was
not breaking the law, "but any party needs to be extra careful as
such huge demonstrations are vulnerable to infiltrators, who
instigate riots," he said.

Speaking to reporters at the Antara news agency office here on
Saturday night, Mahfud said the infiltrators were very well
organized.

"If two rival groups of protester are facing each other, the
infiltrators will slip into the two groups to create a chaotic
atmosphere."

"These are not just baseless statements," he said, citing
detailed and accurate information from intelligence sources.

"From Diponegoro Military Command reports, we have detailed
and accurate information from Central Java about a plan for a
huge demonstration in Jakarta on Jan. 15. The reports clearly
mention who the coordinators (of the demonstration) were, how
much the fund was and who the activists were," he explained.

"The people mentioned in such a secret document would have
been arrested by the New Order regime. But now, our government is
aware that demonstrations are legal."

On the grounds that it was part of the process of democracy,
the government basically had no right to ban any demonstration,
as long as the demonstration did not turn violent and anarchic.

No mass rally eventuated on Jan. 15, and on Jan. 19, police
officers guarding the DPR compound had to separate two rival
groups, supporters and opponents of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Mahfud reiterated that all the government could do was warn
the people and prevent any chaotic situation from happening.

"Unfortunately, many say that the government wants to create
unrest among the people with this warning. We just want to alert
the people. That's all."

Asked about the President-House feud, which has been causing
uneasiness among the people, Mahfud said the situation could not
be avoided as the democratic life was commencing in the country.

"Everything is in the people's hands. The people must be
mature in dealing with anything happening around them and the
press should enhance a conducive situation." (44)