'Political scenario' cited behind protests
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto said on Wednesday that a "political scenario" was behind a demonstration on Sept. 7 and stoked reports of riot police bayoneting students.
Held in front of the House of Representatives, the demonstration was the first since students occupied the House in May in their effort to force Soeharto from the presidency. He resigned on May 21.
Students Muhammad Yanuar Abdi of the School of Social and Political Sciences (IISIP) and Herry Djoko of the National Institute Science and Technology (ISTN), both in South Jakarta, were hospitalized for wounds inflicted by sharp objects.
The two students filed complaints at the National Military Police headquarters on Tuesday.
Wiranto was quoted by Antara news agency as expressing disbelief and clumping the demonstration as part of a scenario.
"Two days before the demonstration, there was already information that two people would get injured by ABRI (Armed Forces)... I heard the news two days before," Wiranto said at a House hearing on the draft law on freedom of expression.
Based on the information from an undisclosed source, Wiranto said he instructed police to counter the demonstration using only masks, shields and batons. Just as he had been forewarned, Wiranto said a demonstration involving 2,000 people did occur with the aim to reoccupy the House.
"We saw the gate knocked down, because of their eagerness, and they stayed put until late night in front of the gate."
He said he instructed police to drive away demonstrators so that House members could work in peace. "At about 2 a.m. we began to push them away so they would leave the gate."
He said the confrontation descended into a shoving match between police and students. The next day, media reports said two students were bayoneted.
"This is a fact (the forewarning of the bayoneting)... it really happened. There was news of this two days earlier," Wiranto said. At the time, police insisted they were only carrying batons.
"I say (there were) political scenarios involving force and pressure... intended to make us feel insecure," he added, without identifying the orchestrators.
Wiranto said incidents such as the Sept. 7 protest led to the necessity to control -- "but not to contain" -- freedom of expression.
"Controlling freedom so that freedom of expression should not be absolute, but there should be limits to it."
The draft submitted on Friday by the government followed the House's rejection of the controversial draft of an emergency government regulation in lieu of a law.
One of the few differences with the earlier draft is that a police permit is required for demonstrations involving more than 100 people, instead of 50.
The third reading of the draft law was chaired by Aisyah Amini, the Commission I chairwoman. Among attendants were Minister of Justice Muladi, National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi, and ABRI Chief of Staff for general affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi. (anr/byg)