We'll get tough, Wiranto says

We'll get tough, Wiranto says

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) has threatened to take
stern action against anyone attempting to disrupt the Nov. 10
through Nov. 13 Special Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) as it believes the event is the "only gateway" to
a democratic Indonesia.

Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen.
Wiranto maintained that the session, as part of the national
political agenda, must be secured and followed through.

"If there are still groups in the community who want to
disrupt the session, they are not democratic... ABRI will get
tough with them," Wiranto said before attending a Cabinet meeting
at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Some 30,000 Armed Forces personnel have been deployed to
safeguard both the event and the city ahead and during the
session. Thousands of civilians have joined forces with the Armed
Forces to ensure the city remains secure.

The upcoming session has been scheduled to deliberate and pass
12 draft decrees, including one on the rescheduling of the
general election from 2002 to May or June 1999.

A stipulation in the draft decree, however, has sparked public
protests as it guarantees the Armed Forces seats in the House of
Representatives (DPR).

Many have urged that the Armed Forces should be represented
only in the MPR, while the House should comprise only members
elected in general elections.

On Wednesday, 20 students from the University of Indonesia
grouped in the Students Action Front (KAM-UI) filed a petition
against the military's presence in the House to the legislators
at the legislative building on Jl. Gatot Subroto, Central
Jakarta. They met -- on two separate occasions -- with
legislators Andi Mattalata, Marwah Daud Ibrahim, and Aulia
Rachman of the dominant Golkar and Endin A.J. Soefihara of the
United Development Party (PPP).

They urged the legislators to fight for their aspiration that
the military be ejected from the House.

If passed by the Assembly, the draft decree would be superior
to other laws and would dictate the making of lower-level
political laws which touch on the same issue.

As the only faction lobbying for the removal of the military
from the House, Endin of PPP told the students the party would
fight on for the cause, even if it meant decision-making through
voting. "The PPP has no fear of losing in voting. The sure thing
is that we will fight for people's aspirations," Endin said as
reported by Antara.

A dozen other activists led by playwright Ratna Sarumpaet
arrived to strongly reproach the body. The activists -- including
human rights campaigner H.J.C. Princen and Pius Lustrilanang --
challenged the Armed Forces faction at the Assembly to establish
a "democratic transitional government".

They walked out in anger because they found the legislators
"not serious" about hearing their aspirations.

In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, some 100 Moslem students
staged a protest in front of the provincial legislature on
Wednesday to demand that the Special Session scrap the obligation
that all political parties adopt state ideology Pancasila as
their sole ideology.

In Padang, West Sumatra, former minister of transmigration
Siswono Yudohusodo on Wednesday said public pressure must be
amplified to keep the "questionable" Assembly's Special Session
on the same track as public aspirations.

"People should remind those within the Assembly building that
their decisions will affect the interests of the whole nation
(not one certain group only)," he said.

In Jakarta, a group of some 700 residents from nearby
Tangerang regency threw their full support behind the Special
Session. They demonstrated in front of former defense minister
Gen. (ret) M. Jusuf's house on Jl. Teuku Umar, Central Jakarta,
to demand that the 70-year-old statesman mediate rifts within
society concerning the Special Session. However Jusuf was in
Ujungpandang.

In Bali, Antara reported that thousands of Hindus plan to hold
mass prayers on Friday at Besakih temple, calling for divine help
so that the Special Session proceeds smoothly.
(30/28/29/msa/imn/prb/aan)