Rioters to be shot on sight during MPR session: Police
Rioters to be shot on sight during MPR session: Police
JAKARTA (JP): City police will take firm measures against any
parties attempting to disrupt the Annual Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), including shooting on sight any
rioters, the police chief insisted on Friday.
The session starts on Monday.
After inspecting joint security troops, Chief Insp. Gen.
Nurfaizi also said that his personnel would prohibit any rallies
or protests breaching the law and disperse any groups staging
protests without previously notifying the police as ruled by a
prevailing law.
The police will, however, first adopt a persuasive approach in
all of their actions to avoid unrest, he said.
"We have standard operating procedures in securing the Annual
Session," the two-star police general said.
Troops from the Air Force's Special Unit, Jakarta Military
Command and People's Security (Kamra), among others, were
inspected at the Jakarta Police Headquarters parking lot.
In his speech, Nurfaizi reminded his personnel, who --
according to the law -- will be in the front line in facing any
disruptions, that they were protected by law in carrying out
their duties to secure the Aug. 7 to Aug. 18 Annual Session.
"Therefore, police personnel should not be hesitant to take
stiff measures fearing that they will be blamed later by the
public for violating human rights," he said.
As long as the personnel act in line with standard operating
procedures, everything will be OK, Nurfaizi added.
The city will be packed by some 66,300 security personnel,
including those from other provincial police forces, to help
secure the session and the capital.
Several reserve troops have also been prepared as backup
should the situation get out of hand.
Nurfaizi earlier told all mass organizations across the
country not to mobilize their masses during the session.
"The mobilization will only trigger confrontation with other
groups, which may bring fatalities, because people can be easily
provoked in such a setting," he told representatives of several
organizations, such as the Islam Defenders Front (FPI),
Collective Forum (Forbes) and representatives of Maluku people in
Jakarta, in a meeting at his office.
In Bandung, West Java Police vowed to secure the province in
an effort to ensure security and order in Jakarta before, during
and after the session.
West Java Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Riva'i Siregar said
that 12,000 out of 19,000 police personnel would be on alert.
More than 5,700 personnel will be fielded at certain spots,
including along roads leading to Jakarta, he said, citing the
north coastal route, including the Cirebon-Purwakarta segment,
and the southern route via Banten.
"West Java is the buffer zone for the capital city. Rioting in
Jakarta could spread to West Java and vice versa, while the
sending of civilian militiamen from West Java should also be
stopped."
West Java Police have identified 13 vulnerable spots in the
areas bordering West Java and Jakarta.
In a related development, an international philatelic expo
scheduled to be held at the Jakarta Convention Center from Aug.
15 through Aug. 21 has been canceled.
Lt. Gen. (ret) Mashudi, chairman of the Indonesia 2000 as the
expo is called, announced on Friday that the expo had to be
canceled despite President Abdurrahman Wahid's pledge to open the
event.
"But, accepting the reason of the National Police chief that
the JCC building is very close to the Assembly complex, we have
canceled the event."
According to Mashudi, the Indonesian Philatelists Association,
PT Pos Indonesia, as the organizer, and the Federation of
International Philately have acknowledged the cancellation.
"A substitute expo is scheduled to be held at the same venue
from March 29 to April 4, 2002."
The delay will cause participants from 58 countries to wait
two years to enjoy the "open class" collection, Mashudi said.
In Surabaya, the capital of East Java, some 2,000 security
personnel participated in a parade on Friday ahead of the Annual
Session led by provincial police chief Insp. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.
Among the forces participating in the parade were task forces
of Banser of the Nahdlatul Ulama and the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) as well as police and
military.
"I am aware that East Java hosts stations and ports which are
main gates to Jakarta. Therefore we will intensify security at
those points to prevent possible mass deployment to the capital,"
Da'i said. (asa/25/nur/sur/edt)