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10,000 join bloody protests at parliament

Source
Sydney Morning Herald - September 24, 1999

Craig Skehan and Ningrum Widyastuty, Jakarta – Police used tear gas and beat protesters in the streets of Jakarta as pro-democracy groups claimed the way had been cleared for Indonesia to be ruled by a military junta in the wake of Parliament's passage of new security laws yesterday.

Masked youths hurled rocks at police, and security forces responded with volleys of tear-gas canisters. Youths armed with wooden clubs and iron bars roamed the streets.

A crowd of up to 10,000 gathered outside the national Parliament and police fired rubber bullets as students set up barricades and lit fires. Several cars caught in massive traffic jams were were set alight by rampaging protesters.

One bloodied student was seen being bashed by three helmeted officers armed with clubs as he lay face down on a road, apparently unconscious.

Demonstrators called on Parliament to refuse to accept the security bill, but it was passed with a substantial majority.

The non-government Centre for Reform Action said in a statement Indonesia was in danger of falling under military rule through sweeping powers available under a state of emergency. "This act is obviously only to fulfil military aspirations – not the hopes of the people for reform," said a group spokesman. While the situation in strife-torn East Timor is dominating international coverage of Indonesia, domestically the introduction of the tough security laws and the Bank Bali financial scandal loom larger.

Protests against the security laws have been far larger than those against the foreign intervention in East Timor.

President B.J. Habibie is facing growing opposition amid claims his Government is involved in efforts to protect senior politicians and officials in the alleged diversion of $US70 million for vote-buying.

It has been alleged senior advisers to Dr Habibie and officials of the ruling Golkar Party siphoned the funds from Bank Bali so parliamentarians could be bought in November parliamentary elections for the presidency.

Those whose names were dropped from the report of a parliamentary committee inquiry into the scandal include a senior adviser to Dr Habibie, Mr Ahmad Baramuli. This followed a directive to auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers to release only an edited summary, omitting key names.

The auditor's investigation was sought by the International Monetary Fund, which has suspended disbursements under a $US43 billion rescue package for Indonesia because of the Bank Bali scandal.

Meanwhile, attempts to halt a further deterioration in Australia's relations with Indonesia were set back yesterday by reports that the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, had sought to make Australia the regional security "deputy" to the United States.

The Indonesian media seized on a magazine interview with Mr Howard amid claims by local politicians and commentators that Australia has been arrogant over its leadership of the multi-national force in East Timor.

Australia's Ambassador to Jakarta, Mr John McCarthy, faced a barrage of questions from Indonesian journalists after delivering a luncheon address in which he stressed Australia wanted to be a friendly and co-operative neighbour to Indonesia.

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