Militiamen banned from entering MPR complex

Militiamen banned from entering MPR complex

JAKARTA (JP): City police do not have the right to prevent
Banser civilian militiamen from entering the city, however, they
will take stern action if one illegally approaches the
legislative complex during the Annual Session, a police officer
said on Thursday.

Supt. Zainuri Lubis, the outgoing spokesman for the city
police, announced that officers could not prohibit civilian
militiamen from entering the city, "or we'll be accused of
breaching human rights".

Lubis was responding to reports that hundreds of Banser
civilian militiamen from East Java had flooded the capital city
to safeguard the People's Consultative Assembly's (MPR) Annual
Session from Aug. 7 through Aug. 18.

Banser is a civilian militia under the auspices of the youth
wing of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization, which
throws its support behind President Abdurrahman Wahid.

The officer said the city police would prohibit them from
taking part in safeguarding the session. They would also be
banned from entering the area surrounding the legislative
complex.

"The security surrounding the legislative complex is fully in
the hands of the official security personnel, including the
police. The area will be free of any civilian militias," he said.

"The police are able to handle security in the city without
the help of militias," he said, adding that some 28,000 officers
would be deployed to safeguard the session.

Many officials, including National Police chief Gen.
Rusdihardjo, called on political parties earlier not to deploy
their security and task forces in Jakarta for the Assembly's
Annual Session.

However, chairman of the East Java provincial chapter of the
National Awakening Party (PKB) Choirul Anam said on Wednesday
that hundreds of Banser members had entered Jakarta and were
ready to act on orders to safeguard the session.

He said the Banser members were in Jakarta on their own
initiative and were not representing NU. They were in Jakarta on
their own expenses, Choirul added.

West Java

Separately, West Java Banser commander Ali Anwar said in
Bandung on Thursday that he was ready to send his members to
Jakarta should any unconstitutional events take place during the
session.

Turning the Assembly's Annual Session into a Special Session
would be unconstitutional, he said.

He said West Java had more than 35,800 Banser members spread
throughout the province.

"It depends on the NU and PKB bosses when we are to move into
Jakarta. We are committed to taking part in dealing with any
chaotic situations," Ali told The Jakarta Post. "I guarantee they
will not act without my orders."

He acknowledged that many Banser members from other cities in
Java had flooded into Jakarta on their own free will. "That is
very possible for us to do. And this has nothing to do with the
organization."

Chairman of the West Java chapter of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Jajang Kurniady also expressed
his party's readiness to send "combat ready" militiamen to
Jakarta for the same reason.

"We have 500 'combat ready' personnel who are ready to help
the party and the government at the Assembly's Annual Session,"
Jajang said.

West Java Police have prohibited any organization from sending
their militiamen to Jakarta for any purpose during the Assembly's
Annual Session.

"Deploying militiamen will only result in fighting among
them," spokesman Supt. Dede Ahmad said.

In the Central Java capital of Semarang, thousands of Banser
militiamen and supporters of the PKB from Kendal regency
expressed their readiness to go to Jakarta to safeguard the
Annual Session.

"We are watching the developments every second. And we will
move if we think we are needed. We are watching the progress of
the situation ahead of the session," Asfuri Mughni, chairman of
the PKB's Kendal regency office said on Thursday.

The East Java chapter of PDI Perjuangan had also expressed its
willingness to deploy its Satgas civilian militiamen in Jakarta.

The chairman of the provincial chapter, Adrianus Harsono, said
on Wednesday that the Satgas commander would lead the group, but
he declined to say when they would leave Surabaya.

PDI Perjuangan is chaired by Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.(asa/25/har/sur)