Habibie orders ABRI to get tough

Habibie orders ABRI to get tough

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie and Armed Forces (ABRI)
Commander Gen. Wiranto alleged on Thursday that certain groups
have been continuing their campaign of provocation in an attempt
to destabilize security and public order.

The President asserted the groups, which he did not identify,
were using all possible means to foil the government's reform
agenda, including the general election and presidential election
planned respectively for May and December next year.

"Our campaign for reform is being marred by political actions
and activities which tend to put forward physical strength by
mobilizing crowds, either through demonstrations or other
activities which obstruct norms, rules and ethics," the President
said at a commander's call ceremony at the Merdeka Palace.

The event was attended by 130 of the military's top brass,
including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, National
Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi, ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical
Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and ABRI Chief of
General Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi.

The meeting took place just one day after the Armed Forces
held a seminar in Bandung on its role in the 21st century, and 12
days before its 53rd anniversary, which falls on Oct. 5.

Wiranto, who is also Minister of Defense and Security, said
the commander's call was held to discuss the latest developments
in the country.

Thursday's meeting was the second between the President, who
is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and the country's
top generals. The first meeting was held in June.

"To the rank and file of the Armed Forces, I instruct you to
take preventive and proactive steps and actions, combined with a
wise but firm attitude, to immediately end the activities of
either individuals or groups who are openly working to keep the
situation in the country uncontrollable, unsafe and unstable,"
the President said.

"ABRI has reached a conclusion that all attempts to threaten
public order and state safety and governance must be sternly
dealt with, at all risk and cost," Wiranto said in a statement,
distributed after the meeting.

The President said the current wave of street protests and
demonstrations had gone too far and breached the limits of
tolerance.

He ordered the military leaders to stop ongoing looting and
destruction of property in the regions, which he said was
worsening the country's economic situation.

"Security must be brought under control and the law must be
enforced," he remarked.

The meeting lasted more than two hours. Palace officials
allowed cameramen and photographers to take pictures for few
minutes at the beginning of the meeting. Journalists were told
the room was too small and were barred from entering.

Upon realizing journalists were absent, the President ordered
his officials to invite them all in.

"Please let them come in. They want to listen directly to my
speech," the President said.

When Habibie opened the question-and-answer session, the
journalists were asked to leave the Palace.

The text of Habibie's speech was made available only two hours
after he delivered it.

Wiranto was scheduled to brief journalists after the meeting,
but officials said the briefing had been canceled because the
meeting lasted too long.

Earlier in the morning, Wiranto said that security officials
had identified patterns in recent security disturbances which
smacked of the past maneuvers of the outlawed Indonesian
Communist Party (PKI).

"People must remain alert to the danger of all communist-
related activities," he told reporters after a monthly limited
Cabinet meeting on political affairs and security.

"Such activities have interrupted our (people) efforts to
guide the nation toward a better future," he said, while
reminding people that maintaining security was not only ABRI's
responsibility.

He said ABRI would take firm but lawful action against any
activities which threatened security in the country.

"Learning from past experience, ABRI will be very careful when
handling such activities because it does not want to be accused
of violating human rights again," he said. (prb/imn)