Noegroho calls for restraint ahead of festive season

JAKARTA (JP): City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman urged people of all walks of life in the capital on Friday to restrain themselves to help reduce tension ahead of the coming festive season.

"I want all people, including students, to help create a calm and peaceful atmosphere for the coming festive season," he told The Jakarta Post.

Noegroho made the remarks in response to a question about the escalating frequency of massive student demonstrations in the capital.

"I speak for all members of the community, including the students. So I think we all have to be on the alert in the situation and prevent any possible chaos arising."

Police are trying their best to prevent possible clashes or conflicts between groups of people, he said.

"But as we will not be able to do it by ourselves, I urge the people to be aware of the situation. Be careful and do not look for trouble."

The massive student demonstrations in the city as part of the country's democratic and reform process have created public disorder as most rallies have caused road diversions, thereby creating heavy traffic congestion and disturbing daily activities of offices, business centers and schools.

After Thursday's massive protest in commemoration of human right day, some 2,000 people grouped in Komite Islam Penegak Hak Asasi Manusia or the Islamic Committee for Human Rights (KIP HAM) staged a protest on the Tani Monument in front of the Aryaduta Hyatt hotel in Central Jakarta on Friday.

The group -- which comprises Moslem youths and leaders -- came from various places in and outside Jakarta such as Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta; Bekasi, Tangerang, Karawang, Cirebon, Pandeglang, Sukabumi, Cianjur, Bogor and Bandung, all in West Java.

Some of them stayed in the compound of Banteng Park near the Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta and some went straight from their respective bases.

At about 1 p.m. the group -- wearing green head banners -- marched to the Tani Monument from Central Board of Indonesian Moslem Student Association office on Jl. Menteng Raya, which is just 300 meters away from the monument.

The group made a free speech forum and waved banners which read: "Hang L.B. Moerdani", "Hang Try Sutrisno", "Benny and Try are killers of Moslems". Protesters climbed the monument and wrapped it in a black cloth.

The crowds referred to former minister of security and defense/Armed Forces commander Gen. (ret.) L.B. Moerdani and former vice president Gen. (ret.) Try Sutrisno who they thought were responsible for the bloody Tanjung Priok incident of 1984.

"We want the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to be more independent, away from certain interests and to pay more attention to cases such as Tanjung Priok and military atrocities in Aceh," Eddy Sulaiman, one of the group's leaders, told the Post.

Eddy said the group will continue to run protests as part of the human rights commemoration. "Moslem people have become the victims here.. so we want more action on the human rights issue."

He also reiterated that the group supported the students' movement if it stayed away from anarchy and violence.

"But we despise groups of students who ask for the formation of a presidium or committee to run this country. They have acted unconstitutionally."

"We are against everything that is not legal and constitutional," Eddy reiterated.

When asked to identify such a student group, he winked; "You know who. They are the one who have consistently asked for a transitional government and presidium."

Meanwhile, a group of 150 students of IAIN Ciputat went to the Ministry of Religious Affairs to stage an anti-violence, anti racialism campaign at about 2 p.m. They dispersed themselves at 4 p.m.

While at 3:30 p.m. some 200 students of ABA ABI and Jayabaya tried to reach the House of Representatives building in Central Jakarta but were quickly blocked at the Semanggi cloverleaf.

After staging orations for fair elections, the crowds dispersed at about 4:30 p.m.

"We will continue the action so there will be no days without demonstrations," Akbar, one of the students, said. (edt)