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)