Usman Hamid, a coordinator from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, or Kontras, and activists from other non-governmental organizations met with National Police Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri and urged him to take firm action against hardline groups that perpetrate violence.

"We are not asking to disperse the organizations but we are asking the National Police Chief to take firm action against violent ones," Usman Hamid told reporters at the National Police Headquarters on Wednesday.

He said the organizations claimed their actions were on behalf of religion or were anti communist.

Usman said the activists had seen that no action had been taken by the National Police. In fact, he said, the police seemed to ignore the violence by such groups and very few of the perpetrators had to face the legal consequences of their crimes.

"No wonder the public suspect that the National Police is backing up the groups – the most effective way to muzzle the hardline groups' violence is by upholding the law," he said.

"The National Police Chief must give serious attention to this matter. If there is no firm response, we are worried there will be conflict among the public."