Four questioned after anti-Soeharto protest
Four questioned after anti-Soeharto protest
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi said on
Friday that police investigators were questioning four people in
connection with a violent student protest in Central Jakarta on
Thursday.
"They are being questioned at city police headquarters," he
announced after addressing the inauguration of the Matraman
Police Substation in Central Jakarta.
The two-star general, however, did not elaborate on whether
the police had been tipped off about the four, who the police
consider to be key players in the protest.
He said three of them were students and the other a journalist
with Kapital weekly economic tabloid, Aldi Syahbana.
Nurfaizi did not say why the journalist was arrested.
"They mingle with the masses. However, we'll prosecute them
only if we have strong evidence implicating their involvement in
the protest," said Nurfaizi.
Commenting on an attack on the Foundation of the Indonesian
Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) secretariat on Jl. Diponegoro,
Central Jakarta, allegedly by city police personnel, Nurfaizi
said city police's internal affairs department was investigating
the incident.
"Should the investigation reveal that our personnel were
involved in the attack, we'll take stern measures against them,"
he said.
Police personnel chased the student protesters to the YLBHI
secretariat when the protesters ran amok after protesting near
Soeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana in Central Jakarta. They were
demanding that the government formally arrest the former
president and confiscate the wealth of his family and cronies.
When the protesters pelted them with Molotov cocktails and
stones, the police fired tear gas at them, sending the protesters
in all directions, including to the YLBHI secretariat,
Dozens of members of the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
stormed into the secretariat's compound at 6:30 p.m on Thursday
and reportedly pelted stones at the two-story building and hit
student protesters seeking refuge in the building.
Two window panes were broken in the incident.
Separately, YLBHI executives held a media conference on Friday
to condemn the attack.
"The police personnel's attitude is similar to those of street
criminals. We demand the city military police investigate the
case," said Irianto Subiyakto, head of YLBHI's civil and
political rights section.
Daniel Panjaitan, another executive, said he had reported the
incident to the city military police on Friday morning.
"City police should be held responsible for the attack," he
said.
He also accused the police of aggressiveness, adding that they
entered the building without permission.
"Without our permission, the police personnel forced their way
into the building and hit student protesters seeking refuge in
the building," he said.
Apong Herlina, chairwoman of YLBHI's Jakarta chapter, said the
police were apparently ready to compensate all the losses.
"Second Sgt. Djoko of the Central Jakarta Police precinct has
telephoned me, asking the amount of damages caused by the attack.
Even Second. Sgt. Maxwell Tambunan of the city police
headquarters took pictures of the damages this morning," she
said. (06/asa)