Hamami warns political protesters

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)