Police hesitant to act on militants

JAKARTA (JP): The police, under pressure to take resolute action against militant groups threatening to hunt down and expel Americans, appear hesitant to do just that.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf said on Tuesday that the police could only act firmly against those who broke the law.

"If they detain, abuse or attack foreigners, we will arrest and deal with the assailants accordingly, for there is a law against such actions," Saleh told The Jakarta Post.

Legislators pleaded with the police on Monday to take action after a search for Americans was carried out by militant groups in top hotels in the Central Java town of Surakarta on Sunday.

Asked about the wave of anti-U.S. protests in several cities around the country, Saleh said that the groups involved were merely staging protests without endangering life or property.

"In this era of democracy, people are free to voice their opinions. There's nothing wrong with demonstrations as long as they are carried out in a peaceful manner," he said.

He added that the police had held discussions with some hard- line groups and warned them not to commit any acts that could disturb the peace.

"We will closely observe their movements to ensure that no harm is done," he said.

University of Indonesia criminologist Adrianus Meliala said that to search out Americans by looking through a hotel register could not be categorized as a criminal act.

But should the hotel consider the guest list confidential and those involved insisted on looking at it, then it could be classified as a crime.

"As long as no one is forced into doing anything, then it cannot be called a threatening act or an act of terror," Adrianus said.

The threats to hunt down Americans has given rise to anxiety among Westerners residing in Indonesia.

The British Ambassador to Indonesia said he and most Britons residing in Indonesia were concerned about the threats.

"There is anxiety among us as Britons. Britain is known as a close ally of the United States. We are fully depending on the Indonesian police to protect us," Richard Gozney told reporters after giving an address at a workshop on security here on Tuesday.

Gozney said that he had met with the Jakarta Police chief to discuss the protection of Westerners, particularly Britons, who resided or were traveling in Indonesia.

From the discussion, he said, he got the impression that the police were serious, and capable of providing protection for non- nationals.

"It was made very clear here that they would protect overseas citizens from Western Europe and the United States," Gozney said after the workshop entitled "Reform in the Security Sector".

He said that there were some 4,000 Western European people residing in Indonesia.

A noted political observer interviewed at the workshop said he did not believe that the militant groups would carry out their pledges to attack the U.S. Embassy and expel Americans from the country.

"I don't believe they will carry out their threats. Actually, the only thing they want to do is to make people hear their voices. Such an attack would not make sense," Dr. Juwono Sudarsono told the Post.

'Improper'

On being asked by reporters at the State Secretariat, Vice President Hamzah Haz said Tuesday that he opposed the searches.

"These moves are improper. Do not harass and hunt foreigners who stay here. Just let the government handle this problem," Hamzah said after presiding over a Cabinet meeting, Antara reported.

According to Hamzah, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is on a visit to the U.S., had warned President George W. Bush that in the attempt to hunt down terrorists, he should not attack any country in the world.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said it was the responsibility of the local police force to deal with the hunts conducted in Surakarta.

"There must be firm measures taken by the security administration against these groups," Hari said.

"Indonesia is a country which guarantees the safety of its people, including overseas citizens residing in the country," he added.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, who is accompanying Megawati, also deplored the anti-American sweeps.

Speaking from New York on Monday (Tuesday noon in Jakarta) Hassan said that such actions would tarnish Indonesia's image abroad.

"We need to work together with everyone in the country to avoid any actions that could worsen Indonesia's image abroad," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

Several radical groups pledged in Jakarta last week to attack the U.S. embassy and expel U.S. citizens from Indonesia if the U.S. were to attack Afghanistan or any Middle Eastern country.

The Surakarta sultanate's Crown Prince Dipokusumo said that the groups could have expressed their anger in a better way.

"The majority of Solo people are not like them. The members of these groups were involved in a series of violent incidents in the past," he asserted.

He said they were people who neither lived in urban nor rural areas.

"They live at the crossroads of two cultures. They need to communicate (with community leaders)," said the crown prince, adding that he was ashamed of the incident. (09/53/hbk)