Groups vow not to mobilize civilian militia
Groups vow not to mobilize civilian militia
JAKARTA (JP): The city police said on Tuesday that all
civilian militias had confirmed they would not be present at the
People's Consultative Assembly during the Annual Session which
starts next Monday.
"I invited representatives of all civilian militia groups in
the city to attend a meeting recently and they all said they
would not participate in the security measures taken by the
Jakarta Police during the session," city police chief Insp. Gen.
Nurfaizi said on Tuesday
However, an executive of the Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU) Banser
militia, Endang Shobirin, said his men would stick to their word
only if legislators proved they were not trying to topple
President Abdurrahman Wahid from his post.
Wahid is a former chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama, a Muslim
organization that has approximately 30 million followers across
the country.
"We won't tolerate any attempts by legislators to turn the
Annual Session into a Special Session," Endang told The Jakarta
Post at Banser headquarters in Central Jakarta.
He warned that his 25,000-strong militia were ready to fight
to maintain Abdurrahman in his current seat for the next five
years.
Officer Nurfaizi strongly urged all parties, particularly
civilian militia, not to order their members or supporters to go
to the legislative building during the session from Aug. 7 to
Aug. 18.
"It's the police's responsibility to maintain security and
order during the Annual Session. It would be better if members of
civilian militias stay in their respective residences and help
maintain order there," he said after addressing a ceremony
marking the replacement of the West Jakarta Police chief.
Governor Sutiyoso sang the same tune, appealing to residents
not to deploy civilian security forces at the legislators'
compound for any reason.
"Residents can participate (in the law and order effort) by
safeguarding their neighborhoods, instead of concentrating on the
assembly complex.
"Let the police and military do the job," he said at City
Hall.
"Besides, National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo warned last
week he won't tolerate any private security forces in and around
the assembly complex," he added.
The session has an important agenda, including President
Abdurrahman Wahid's annual accountability speech and the passing
of amendments to the 1945 Constitution.
It has been reported that the Banser militia is ready to
deploy thousands of its members to safeguard the annual session.
But many see this threat as more of a psychological support
for the President.
Several other militias linked to political parties are also
reported to be gearing up their members to 'safeguard' the
session. One of the most prepared is the Satgas, the force
belonging to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan).
Nurfaizi also advised people from outside Jakarta not to come
to the capital during the session.
"Police have no right to stop people from entering the city,
but for security efforts, leave them to the city police," he
said.
Last Thursday, Nurfaizi said a total of 66,304 members of the
Jakarta Police and several provincial police forces would be
deployed during the session.
He added that the number of officers on duty during the
session could be increased should the situation require it.
Endang said Banser was ready to help the city police if
requested.
"We will continuously coordinate with the city police as to
whether we once need to mobilize our members to help them," he
said.
He said the mobilization of Banser members would also depend
on other militias.
"If security personnel fail to prevent other militia from
mobilizing their members, we will follow the move.
"Therefore, security personnel must be able to give a
guarantee that there will be no militias or task forces hitting
the streets during the session," he said.(asa/nvn)