Military blames PRD for causing clash
JAKARTA (JP): Military and police officials are blaming supporters of the Democratic People's Party (PRD) for provoking the bloody clash with police outside the headquarters of the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Central Jakarta on Thursday.
Officials claimed that PRD activists and supporters armed themselves with weapons in preparation for an attack on the police. The violence flared during a PRD protest calling for the disqualification of the ruling Golkar Party from the elections because of alleged cheating.
Minister of Defense and Security/Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto told legislators in a hearing at the House of Representatives on Friday that the PRD activists were in the wrong and obstinately refused to compromise with security personnel.
The four-star general also faulted them for failing to comply with the legal requirement to notify police prior to the rally and for resisting the officers' efforts to disperse them.
The protesters carried concealed steel arrows and barbed wire, Wiranto said. He displayed items which he said were confiscated from activists, including pieces of broken glass and knives, to members of Commission I which oversees defense and security, law and foreign affairs.
The activists' actions constituted "fatal" mistakes, he said.
"Fifteen representatives were given permission to meet with KPU executives at the KPU compound but they refused," Wiranto said.
"They insisted that all of them should go in, and even threatened to break down the gate if they were not allowed to do so within 30 minutes."
Wiranto cited security concerns over the threat because the KPU headquarters housed important data from the elections.
Separately, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar Sianipar told a brief media conference that the Central Jakarta Police did not violate standard procedures in handling the protesters.
"There was nothing wrong with our measures (during the clash)," he said.
Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said at the conference that his officers showed "tolerance" by not intervening when protesters held a free speech dialog outside the compound.
"We tolerated their actions but when they started to be destructive, we resorted to measures as stated in our crowd control procedures."
They believed the steel arrows, barbed wire concealed in PRD flags and a bottle of mercury found on one protester proved the activists planned to attack the security personnel.
Togar said his officers identified "provocateurs" who aggravated the police officers through disparaging chants.
He declined to name the provocateurs, but said they were PRD representatives at the KPU.
Police, he added, attempted to negotiate with representatives of the protesters, but they rejected the police offer to allow 15 people into the building.
He said they insisted that 50 activists should be allowed to meet KPU officials.
After their demand was rejected, the protesters pushed officers in a bid to enter the compound, with some throwing stones, he added.
Police finally fired several warning shots into the air when the protesters became "brutal and uncontrollable", he said.
"As stated in our crowd control procedures, we're only equipped with rubber bullets, tear gas and rattan sticks," he said.
Police data show 48 protesters were injured and 28 officers hurt.
"The injuries on both sides showed the clash was unwanted (by police)," Togar said.
Four people were arrested for questioning shortly after police brought the situation under control, Togar said. He declined to identify them.
Outrage grew over the police's actions on Friday.
About 75 students in Yogyakarta and a group of PRD activists in South Sulawesi demanded that Wiranto step down and that the military's dual sociopolitical role be brought to an end. Similar statements were voiced by various human rights organizations.
Staff of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta said on Friday that all the injured protesters admitted to the hospital had been released.
Of the 34 protesters treated at the hospital and neighboring St. Carolus Hospital, only nine remained hospitalized at the latter facility.
The most seriously injured is Dhyta Caturani, who sustained a wound in her back from a rubber bullet. She also suffered major injuries to her head and lips.
PRD's organizational head Ken Budha Kusumandaru lashed out at the police and said their action smacked of the repressive actions of the Soeharto government.
"It proves the government continues to use the New Order ways in maintaining power," he said at St. Carolus Hospital.
Kusumandaru insisted the party would continue to hold mass demonstrations.
About 100 PRD supporters returned to protest outside the KPU on Friday against Golkar. KPU chairman Rudini met protesters in the street and promised to convey their demands to the organization's plenary.
Separately, Asmara Nababan, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, appealed to the police to halt the use of repressive actions.
"The commission is paying serious attention to the incident, and we ask police not to employ violence in handling protesters in the future," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, the chairman of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy, said violence should not be used to deal with protesters.(emf/rms/asa)