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Jakarta Police Asked to Uphold Law
In the face of an increasing incidence of demonstrators' violence and lawlessness in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu Saturday called on police to uphold the law and protect human rights.
"I call on the police to uphold the law and protect human rights, because if we permit lawlessness and violence in one place, they can spread to other places," he was quoted by the Antara News Agency as saying.
Commenting on Friday's rampage in central Jakarta in which five military and police cars were torched by mobs, Ryacudu stressed the maintenance of public order and security is now primarily the responsibility of the police.
"When there is domestic trouble, it is the police in the first place who have to come out and deal with it. Only if they can no longer handle the situation or run short of personnel, will we, the military, come in to help. We no longer live in the era where the military always stood in the front-line," he said.
Ryacudu said his command is now working in close cooperation with the police to maintain security in the national capital amidst reports that part of its citizens were preparing to leave the city.
"If people, particularly foreign investors, leave Jakarta (for security reasons), chances are they will not come back. This will be harmful to all of us," he said.
Ryacudu said he believed the student protests of the past few days near former president Soeharto's home in central Jakarta had been orchestrated. During the street actions, the students clashed with security personnel and they set ablaze one police and four military vehicles.
"You can stage a protest, nobody can forbid you as long as it does not harm or frighten the public," he added.
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