Indonesian police chief skips Jakarta parade

JAKARTA - Indonesia's defiant police chief, who has refused a presidential order to step aside, skipped a parade of 8000 officers and soldiers in Jakarta yesterday, sparing President Abdurrahman Wahid a direct snub.

Jakarta police chief Inspector-General Sofjan Jacoeb said General Bimantoro, who was scheduled to lead the parade in a square across from the presidential palace, had been too busy to attend.

Wahid, faced with likely impeachment in August, has backed himself into a corner over Bimantoro, whose refusal to quit has won widespread support from police and major factions in Parliament.

The parade was planned before Bimantoro's row with Wahid but Jacoeb restated support for his boss after addressing police and troops carrying automatic weapons and backed up by a dozen armoured personnel carriers.

Asked if the parade was a show of support for Bimantoro, Jacoeb said: "We support Mr Bimantoro as police chief."

Police have said the parade was part of security plans for today's centenary of founding president Sukarno's birth.

- REUTERS

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