KISDI denies wishing to provoke students

JAKARTA (JP): Activists grouped in the Moslem Committee for Constitutional Reform have denied provoking tension at the House of Representatives last Friday.

Ahmad Sumargono, from the Indonesian Committee for World Moslem Solidarity (KISDI), told journalists here yesterday the group did not come to the House to pick a fight.

"We came to support constitutional reform, not merely for (President) B.J. Habibie," Ahmad said.

Ahmad said it was the group's right to support Habibie or whomever else it chose.

"If Habibie fails to carry out things like (former president) Soeharto did, we will also be critical of him," Ahmad said without elaborating.

Ahmad called on the public to give Habibie a chance to carry out his duty to bring the country out of economic and political turmoil.

The group said in a two-page statement that it even had to call off its planned meeting with House members Friday to prevent a possible clash with students occupying the compound.

"We wonder why we Indonesian citizens, who also have the same rights as the students, were prevented from entering the building," the statement said.

The group, however, still expressed respect for the students for pioneering the reform movement.

A clash almost erupted Friday when 1,500 Habibie supporters marched into the House compound to confront students staging an anti-Habibie rally.

No serious incidents were reported, but light scuffles and heated arguments occurred when Habibie supporters hauled down banners criticizing the new president which the students had erected.

The Habibie supporters claimed to be members of the Islamic Youth Movement (GPI), the Indonesian Communication Forum of Youth and Teenager Mosque Activists and KISDI.

Habibie was sworn in as president Thursday, ending the 32-year presidency of Soeharto following mounting pressure for the latter to quit.

Hundreds of military personnel flushed students out of the House building peacefully early Saturday morning. (byg)