Take action against looters: Soeharto
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto appealed to the nation to maintain law and order together and instructed the Armed Forces to take firm action against looters and those who broke the law, Minister of Information Alwi Dahlan said yesterday.
"After listening to an evaluation presented by his ministers', the President instructed that stern measures be taken against any criminal activities," Alwi said after attending a meeting on the political situation at Soeharto's private residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.
The President, after arriving home from Cairo yesterday morning, summoned Vice President B.J. Habibie, Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Feisal Tanjung, Minister/State Secretary Saadilah Mursjid, Minister of Justice Muladi, and Head of the National Intelligence Coordinating Body (Bakin) Moetojib for a two-hour meeting.
They briefed Soeharto on the latest situation in the country and developments since he left for Egypt six days ago.
According to Alwi, the president appealed to the people to remain calm and refrain from taking action which could inflict further suffering on their fellow citizens.
Soeharto and his entourage arrived back in Indonesia in the early hours of Friday morning.
The Garuda Indonesia MD-11 ER airplane in which he traveled touched down at Halim Perdanakusuma airport at 4 a.m., after a 10-hour flight from Cairo.
He was greeted by Habibie and several cabinet ministers. Also present to welcome him back was his son Bambang Trihatmojo.
He was whisked back to his residence under heavy escort.
United
Separately, Commander of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto said the Armed Forces would continue efforts to secure the city from looters and rioters.
"Orders from the Armed Forces commander are clear, if they violate the law we will take stern action," he said.
He stressed the importance of people remaining calm to help the Armed Forces restore order.
He pointed out the efficacy of community security systems, in which residents living in an area work together to ensure communal safety.
When asked about rumors that the Armed Forces command was split, Prabowo quickly retorted by saying these were vicious rumors and that efforts were being made to split the military.
"No, it's not true! We are united together under the leadership of Armed Forces Commander Wiranto," he asserted.
"Do not believe lies and misinformation which can create divisions among us," he added.
Meanwhile, during an evening session with legislators at the House of Representatives here yesterday, Wiranto revealed that Marines had been brought from the East Java towns of Surabaya and Malang to reinforce security here.
Speaking of Tuesday's shooting incident at Trisakti University in which four students were killed, Wiranto admitted there was evidence that live bullets had been used.
He also admitted some of the students were hit inside their campus grounds. (prb/imn)