House to ask Da'i over press attacks

House to ask Da'i over press attacks

Kurniawan Hari and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

House of Representatives legislators intend to summon National
Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar for an explanation following a
series of violent attacks perpetrated by his men against
journalists on assignment.

House Commission I, which oversees the mass media and
information affairs, condemned the poor example set by the police
and threatened to cut the police budget.

"We've agreed to summon the National Police chief. The time of
the meeting is being arranged," commission chairman Ibrahim
Ambong told the media on Tuesday.

His deputy Effendy Choirie added that the hearing would be
held very soon as the current legislative session would end on
July 19.

Both Ambong, from the Golkar Party, and Effendy, from the
National Awakening Party (PKB), were commenting on the violence
that erupted outside the House building on Monday when protesting
students started to fight with police officers.

Four photojournalists were beaten by police officers while
taking pictures, and dozens of students were injured.

The incident was ironic given that on the very same day the
force was marking its 56th anniversary with pledges by senior
officers that it would improve its professionalism.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri in her speech marking the
occasion handed down eight directives to the force, including an
order to abstain from using force and to instead use the law as
the police's most effective weapon.

Effendy said that with the latest incident, the police had
further damaged their already tarnished image.

"We regret and condemn the unlawful acts of the police," he
said.

Fellow commission member Herman Datuk Rangkayo (Reform
faction), warned the public of the possible revival of repression
by police officers.

Herman urged the police to launch an investigation into the
incident. "An apology is not enough. There should be a thorough
investigation."

Indonesian Police Watch secretary-general Adnan Pandupradja
blamed such incidents on the lack of direct control by superiors
despite what was stated in the police's internal procedures for
handling mass protests.

"There should be a reevaluation of the procedures or the
directives issued by superiors to their men before being
deployed. And a warning should always be given to avoid
committing rights abuses," Adnan told The Jakarta Post.