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)