Police preparing to confront violence

JAKARTA (JP): City police are being geared to deal with possible outbreaks of violence during the meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August.

But Chief of the Operational Command Col. Nono Supriyono promised on Wednesday that police would only use live bullets as a last resort, and then only to paralyze perpetrators.

"We will use live bullets to shoot looters in their leg in case we cannot control them by other means," Nono told a media conference after a meeting with the heads of various other agencies to discuss security arrangements for the city during the Assembly meeting.

The meeting of the MPR, the country's highest political institution, will hear President Abdurrahman Wahid presenting a progress report of his first nine months in office.

His critics however have not ruled out the possibility of turning the gathering into a motion to impeach him.

Given the political and economic conditions of Indonesia, the President's detractors and supporters alike will likely take to the streets to make their voices heard.

While the MPR meeting that saw Abdurrahman's election in October proceeded relatively smoothly, a special MPR gathering in October 1998 was marred with violence when student protesters clashed with security forces.

The military, which managed the security at the time, had been widely criticized for using live ammunitions against the students.

Nono predicted that there would be many protests before and during the Assembly meeting.

Based on past experience, these demonstrations could turn into violent unrest, he said.

Governor Sutiyoso said the chances of violence erupting has increased given the increasing tendency of some members of the public to break the law or to fight against security officers.

Nono said police would take firm and harsh action against looters.

He did not give the specific figure of the police force to be deployed during the Assembly.

In dealing with protesters, the personnel would be issued with helmets, shields and sticks, he said.

The meeting -- which was also attended by Governor Sutiyoso, Jakarta Military Chief Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu and Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi and representatives of the City Council -- agreed that the police would be in charge of the security arrangement in the city during the Assembly.

"The military will only be brought in if and when the situation reaches a dangerous level," Ryamizard said.

This was in line with the new security paradigm which put the police, rather than the military, in charge of security and order, he said. (07)