Hamami warns political protesters

JAKARTA (JP): City Police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata yesterday vowed to take stern action against any groups protesting for political purposes.

"If a demonstration seems to have a political motive behind it, we will charge them (protesters) based on Law No. 5/1969 which upgraded president decision No. 5/1963 on political activities.

"The law carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail," Hamami said after overseeing a city police drill to control traffic routes and parking sites for next month's General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

The two-star general believed that the latest demonstration in Jakarta on Feb. 11 conducted by a group calling themselves Barisan Merah-Putih (Red-and-White Front) was politically motivated.

"(If they did not have a political motive), why would they name themselves Barisan Merah-Putih? We're all Merah-Putih, aren't we?" he asked reporters, referring to the color of the national flag.

Hamami said police continued to hold 128 protesters out of 157 detained from the demonstration.

The authorities are planning to charge them for violating laws, he said.

Hundreds of people marched from the Attorney General's office in the Blok M business district to the Ministry of Manpower on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta, protesting against the soaring prices of food and other goods and services.

The demonstration caused heavy traffic congestion on major streets in South Jakarta. The demonstrators were believed to be supporters of the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

According to Hamami, people who stage protests demanding a wage hike would be punished under a different law.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday that police have already blockaded the capital from potential rioters coming from outside of Jakarta.

"No rioters will be able to enter Jakarta because police officers, deployed on the borders of the city, would block them from any move to disturb the city," Aritonang said.

He said the police officers deployed on the city's outskirts, such as Bekasi, Tangerang and Depok include those from the National Police force. (jun)