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Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The National Monument (Monas) incident as marked with the attack by FPI (Islam Defenders Front) activists on Sunday afternoon against members of the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith (AKKBB) triggered widespread calls for disbanding the FPI.

While it is just a discourse, would the government really ban the organization? It is certainly a matter of resolutenes and courage of the power elite to do it.

The incident had left 70 people injured, seven of whom had to undergo intensive treatment at some hospitals in Jakarta.

FPI and other other mass organizations staged a rally protesting the fuel price hike in front of the State Palace while AKKBB was marching towards the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle to commemorate Pancasila`s anniversary. They met in the Monas area, and a violent clash could not be avoided.

In response to widespread demands for disbanding FPI, Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto on Tuesday said he would coordinate with Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS in disbanding FPI for its attack on a peaceful gathering at the Monas Square last Sunday.

"The Political, Legal and Security Affairs Coordinating Ministry has the authority to establish the coordination," he said.

The banning of FPI needs coordination between several government institutions and agencies, including the Home Affairs Ministry, he said.

"Therefore, the banning of FPI should be well-coordinated, not by the Home Affairs Ministry alone," he said, adding that disbanding a mass organization had to be carried out on basis of the law.

Mardiyanto said according to Law No.8/1985 on public organizations, the government should serve an organization a note twice before asking the Attorney General`s Office to take action against it.

He added that the banning of FPI needs an involvement of the Attorney General`s Office and the police.

"Therefore, a certain organization which had violated the law can be suspended or dealt with under any other legal measure by the Home Affairs Ministry in coordination with the Attorney General`s Office and the police," he said.

Meanwhile, Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalatta said FPI members involved in the attack will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

"An individual who violates the law must be arrested," Andi said, adding that FPI was not registered at his office and therefore the government should prioritize law enforcement.

In the meantime, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was reported to have asked law enforcement agencies to take stern action against people who committed acts of violence during the commemoration of Pancasila Day at the Monas Square.

The violence was committed by FPI members against the participants of a peaceful rally to mark Pancasila Day organized by the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Beliefs (AKKBB).

In a statement to the press on Monday, the head of state at his office also called on the police to improve their performance in maintaining law and order in the country.

"Regarding Sunday`s violence in the Monas square, I ask the people to uphold the law, and the law enforcers to deal sternly with the perpetrators," President Yudhoyono said.

The president said the law must be enforced in the interest of all the Indonesian people.

In his statement, Yudhoyono deeply deplored the Monas Square incident and strongly condemned it.

"The incident has tarnished the good image of our nation at home and abroad," the president said.

In the meantime, Crime Division Chief at the Police Headquarters Commissioner General Bambang Hendarso Dahuri said five people had been declared suspects.

The police were still after the five suspects, he but did not elaborate.

Dahuri said the police would always take stern action against violators of the law which also covers violence. "The law will be enforced strictly," Dahuri said.

The police would also conduct investigations to identify the mastermind of the violence, Dahuri said.

With regard to the ongoing investigations, Dr Sofyan Siregar, a lecturer on Islamic studies at the European Islamic University in Rotterdam, said in an e-mailed message there were two possibilities which would happen to FPI.

If the legal process against its suspected members goes smooth, the suspension of FPI is merely a discourse. But if the legal action is followed by the suspension of the organization, the government has to take into account of some powerful elements behind the organization, some of whom are generals and successful businessmen.

He also said the FPI was a political means to stigmatize Islam through its violent actions which may eventually cause the people to lose their interest in supporting Islam-based political parties in general elections. By Eliswan Azly.

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