Rallies 'not to topple' Mega

Rallies 'not to topple' Mega

SURABAYA, East Java: Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on Thursday that he did not see any indication that a series of demonstrations against the U.S.-led attacks in Afghanistan were designed to overthrow President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"Until now, I haven't seen any indication of that and we hope that it will not happen," he said after attending a ceremony for the handover of the East Java Military Commander's post from Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi to Maj. Gen. Achmad Djunaedi Sikki.

Endriartono's statement was a contradiction of an earlier remark made by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who said the demonstrations were launched by certain groups to further their political interests by undermining Megawati's authority.

At the ceremony, Endriartono said demonstrators should not deviate from their original objective of acting in solidarity as Muslim brothers. -- Antara