Students behind antigovt protest to be summoned
JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said on Friday that the police would summon student activists responsible for the massive anti-Habibie protest at the House of Representatives' (DPR) building in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.
Roesmanhadi said that the activists would be questioned in connection with the destruction of the wire fence between the street in front of the building and the toll road and the disruption of traffic when they occupied all four carriageways of Jl. Gatot Subroto and the toll road.
"I've ordered the city police to summon those responsible for organizing the rally," he told reporters after checking on the security officers stationed at the House of Representatives building complex.
An estimated 10,000 demonstrators, including students from the University of Indonesia, the City Forum (Forkot), the Communication Forum for Jakarta Student Senates (FKSMJ) and Student Action Front for Reform and Democracy (Famred), demanded that President B.J. Habibie immediately hand over power to a transitional government free of Soeharto-era officials.
"They were no longer voicing their aspirations. They were forcing their own wishes," said Roesmanhadi.
City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, however, said on Friday that his officers had yet to summon the student activists.
"Our investigation is underway but we haven't summoned any students for questioning."
Roesmanhadi's determination to take stern measures against any vandalism brought about by gatherings or demonstrations is a new policy.
It comes a week after the enactment of the law on freedom of expression on Oct. 23, the day after the House of Representatives endorsed it.
The law says that protesters need to notify the police in writing three days ahead of any planned demonstration.
Details must include the objectives of the gathering, the venue, itinerary, time of commencement and duration, names and addresses of the individuals or groups organizing the action, equipment to be used and the number of participants.
The term "expression of opinion in public" in the law covers demonstrations, street rallies, mass gatherings and free-speech forums.
Roesmanhadi's tough stance, however, is inconsistent as no action was taken when oil tycoon Arifin Panigoro's house was attacked by an angry mob claiming to be members of the People's Savior Front, earlier this month.
The mob pelted stones at the businessman's luxury property on Jl. Jenggala in South Jakarta, smashing windows of the house and Arifin's two cars, including a Mercedes Benz sedan.
Members of a similar group then took part in a rally in front of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute in Central Jakarta on Oct. 12.
The people, who called themselves the People's Voice Committee smashed the office's main entrance and several windows in front of dozens of police officers who were on alert in the area.
However, there were no arrests nor summons made following the incident.
Earlier on Friday Roesmanhadi inspected a parade of the troops at the Senayan East Parking Lot in Central Jakarta.
About 16,800 security officers, consisting of 11,800 police officers and 5,000 soldiers, attended to demonstrate their readiness to safeguard the city during the People's Consultative Assembly's Special Session which takes place from Nov. 10 to Nov. 13.
Some 2,000 of the 16,800 officers are stationed inside the DPR building complex. (ivy/emf)