President's supporters may face stern measures

President's supporters may face stern measures

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro said
security officers were ready to deal with all kind of anarchic
activities in the country and would not hesitate to take stern
measures against any parties involved.

"I reported to the Vice President that we were prepared to
deal with all kinds of security situations," Bimantoro said on
Tuesday after a meeting with Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri in her office.

"Whoever they are, from whatever group, if they conduct any
anarchic activities or violence, we will take harsh measures," he
said.

Bimantoro was referring to President Abdurrachman Wahid's
supporters who have pledged to hold jihad to defend to the death
the President from any efforts of members of the political elite
to unseat him.

Some 20,678 volunteers, including 111 women, in the East Java
capital of Surabaya, reportedly have registered themselves
as jihad fighters organized under the banner of the Truth
Defenders Front (FKP) since the beginning of this month.

FKP coordinator Wiro Sugiman said the fighters would be
dispatched to Jakarta prior to the House of Representatives'
plenary session on April 30, in anticipation of the House issuing
a second memorandum of censure.

The House issued the first memorandum of censure, over the
President's alleged involvement in two financial scandals, dubbed
Bruneigate and Buloggate, and to warn him to improve his
government's performance or face impeachment.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government
could not ban the jihad fighters from coming to Jakarta to
express their aspirations since "to ban them is in violation of
human rights".

"(Minister of Justice and Human Rights) Pak Baharuddin Lopa
said that we have to respect their rights.

"But the intelligence body, however, has taken precautions in
anticipation that the presence of such a huge numbers of
protesters may cause unrest here," Susilo told the press after
holding a coordinating meeting on political, social and security
affairs.

Separately, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) Secretary General Soetjipto said the party had issued
an order that all members of the party should stay calm and not
be provoked by such emotional actions.

"We stick to the party's policy which does not condone
violence ... all members should follow the party's instruction
and should not be provoked into reacting," Soetjipto said after
the party's internal meeting on Tuesday. (02/dja)