Military blames PRD for causing clash

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)