Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said Monday he was happy to meet with police to find a way to disband groups that justified acts of aggression with religion or ethnicity.

Police said the mass organizations concerned would also be invited to speak. They said the ideal time to meet with city administrations officials was prior to the National Police's anniversary on July 1.

"I will definitely attend, if I am invited," Sutiyoso said. "This problem has clearly been tormenting the public, but there will always be differences between people, "What is to become of this nation if anarchy stems from each difference of opinion?"

However, Sutiyoso said any disciplinary action needed to be strictly relevant to the threat posed by the groups. "The eradication of these organizations requires legal measures, "If we observe that their (the organizations') actions are against the law, then they must be dealt with according to the law, "They cannot just be given free reign, as is presently the case".

Human rights activist and lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis told The Jakarta Post that no one but the police had the authority to act and that a sufficient legal basis for police action had been in the Criminal Code since the beginning.

"Nobody has the right to take the law into their own hands," said Todung. "Anyone who does that must be dealt with. "No organization – be it the Islam Defenders Front, the Betawi Brotherhood Forum or the Indonesian Mujahidin Council – has the legal legitimacy to commit acts of violence or anarchy or single out individuals (for harassment)."

When asked how he felt about the groups, as a Jakarta resident, Todung said, "It's really disturbing because there are groups that can freely intimidate others and use others' property, "The police have just not been doing their job."