Noegroho calls for restraint ahead of festive season

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)