NU head says repeat warnings may cause panic
NU head says repeat warnings may cause panic
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi criticized the
country's security authorities for issuing repeated warnings of
possible disturbances ahead of the 2004 elections, saying this
would only succeed in causing anxiety.
"The intermittent warnings will cause people to feel uneasy
and panicky. I understand they are aimed at keeping people on the
alert, but the military and the police, which bear the
responsibility for protecting citizens, must prove their words
first," Hasyim was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday.
The chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization said
the military and police should have the evidence to support their
warnings.
The security authorities should arrest those people they have
accused of intending to create chaos during the elections, rather
than just announcing more security warnings, he said.
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto told
the House of Representatives last week that intelligence
authorities had detected moves by some groups to sabotage the
elections. He also categorized demands for a judicial review of
the election law as part of the attempts to foil the polls.
Endriartono did not identify those groups that were allegedly
plotting to foil the elections.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar later backed
Endriartono's statement and asked people to remain on the alert.
Da'i also warned of possible terrorist attacks around the Idul
Fitri holiday.
Hasyim criticized both the military and police chiefs for
emulating their predecessors from the New Order era, who he said
preferred talking to working.
The Muslim leader said there had been few changes in the way
the police and the military went about their duties since the
fall of the New Order in 1998.
He urged the military and police to revamp their working
systems in order to boost their performance and to prevent
security flaws.
"Should the military and the police fail to improve their
performance, it will be difficult for the nation to feel secure
and to continue to grow," Hasyim said.
Political analyst Indria Samego said the early warnings served
as notification that the military still played a pivotal role in
the country's politics.
Indria, a researcher with the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences, said he could understand the behavior of the military,
which will no longer be allocated seats in the House of
Representatives.