Party supporters urged not to flock to Jakarta

Party supporters urged not to flock to Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman
called on Tuesday on people living outside Jakarta, especially
supporters of political parties, to temporarily refrain from
entering the capital while the General Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) was in progress.

"We fear that there will be friction among supporters of
political parties. It's therefore better for them to stay home
and watch the Assembly's session from there," Noegroho told
reporters after inspecting the preparation of some 6,200 joint
security personnel and civilian security groups.

The two-star general said he also had counterparts in the
nearby provinces of Lampung, West Java, Central Java and East
Java help prevent those residents from coming to Jakarta.

Noegroho also said he would not allow any political party task
force or other security volunteer group to arm themselves or
directly safeguard the security process of the Assembly.

"They will be accompanied by police officers," he added.

Participants in Tuesday's ceremony at the Senayan parking lot
in Central Jakarta consisted of 14 battalions of police, four
battalions and one company of military personnel, three companies
of public office officials and four battalions of civilian
security forces, including those from political parties and the
People's Security force (Kamra).

"Do your duty according to the law, with sympathy and without
hurting people's hearts," Noegroho read from the instructions of
National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi.

The overall situation in and around the capital was normal as
of Tuesday.

A clash between 200 protesting students and security forces
took place in the afternoon near the campus of privately run
Sahid University in Tebet, South Jakarta.

At least six police officers and a student were slightly
injured in the clash after students forced their way through the
Assembly building, pelting stones and Molotov cocktails toward
security forces, South Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Satrya Harry
Prasetya said.

Satrya said the rally held by the students was not legal as
they failed to notify police in advance as is required by law.
But no students were detained, he added.

Separately, a number of groups, mostly supporters of
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, dominated the Hotel Indonesia
traffic circle in Central Jakarta by staging noisy but peaceful
rallies.

A member of the group brought a van loaded with a generator
and a sound system.

"Should Megawati fail to be elected, there will be a
revolution," shouted activist Pius Lustrilanang, who was once
kidnapped during the New Order era.

After the first group of some 200 people disbanded, another
consisting of 1,500, who claimed they were from several parts of
Jakarta and other outlying areas, packed the circle and the
street.

The groups displayed a piece of white cloth and another in red
with a length of 100 meters and 500 meters respectively, both
filled with the signatures of Megawati's supporters. One cloth,
they said, was signed with the blood of supporters.

Before their arrival, some 100 students of the University of
Indonesia rallied at the site, demanding significant changes to
the country's Constitution and an immediate trial for former
president Soeharto.

The city's business and shopping centers were open as usual.

University campuses were also open.

The capital is reportedly packed with people from areas
outside the city who have come to support their favorite
candidate in the presidential election next Wednesday. (jun/bsr)