Antigovernment rally fails to materialize<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The feared massive antigovernment rally failed
\nto materialize here on Monday, and the city's unusually quiet
\nstreets were a testimony of residents' concerns.<\/p>\n
With some 40,000 stand-by security troops deployed across the
\ncity, businesses and schools were mostly untroubled, except for
\nseveral places where bomb threats were received.<\/p>\n
There were at least three separate bomb threats and a rumor of
\na bomb in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, all eventually proving to
\nbe hoaxes.<\/p>\n
Threats were received at the National Development Planning
\nBoard (Bappenas) office in Central Jakarta, at Blok M business
\ndistrict and nearby Al Azhar mosque, both in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Economy Rizal Ramli was presiding
\nover a ministerial meeting when a Bappenas staffer, named Yuni,
\nreceived a bomb threat at 8.40 a.m.<\/p>\n
An unidentified caller told Yuni that bombs had been planted
\nat five points in the building, which is situated only a few
\nmeters away from the official residence of Vice President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta Police personnel searched the building and
\nfound no bomb.<\/p>\n
At about the same time, Indah, a resident of Jl. Garuda Ujung
\nin Kemayoran, also in Central Jakarta, received a package
\nbelieved to contain a bomb.<\/p>\n
Chief of Kemayoran Police subprecinct, Maj. Sujono, said the
\npackage, wrapped in brown paper, was sent by a man identified as
\nYuwono TG, a resident of Bandungan tourist resort in Ambarawa
\nregency, Central Java.<\/p>\n
Quoting Indah's brother, Hendra, who received the package,
\nSujono said the package was brought in by a man wearing a black
\njacket, riding a motorcycle.<\/p>\n
As Hendra found cables inside the package, he placed it on the
\nroadside and reported it to the police, Sujono said.<\/p>\n
A bomb threat was also received at Al-Azhar Islamic school
\nfrom a telephone call at 9.45 a.m., an employee named Irfan said.<\/p>\n
\"This man advised us to evacuate the building because it was
\ngoing to explode,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police from Taman Puring subprecinct came along with the City
\nPolice bomb unit only to find no explosive device after more than
\nan hour of searching.<\/p>\n
The school's head of security, Teguh Budi, said all students
\nwere asked to go home immediately following the threat.<\/p>\n
While the Jakarta's ministry of education office allowed
\nschools to halt activities on Monday due to the rumored mass
\nmobilization, some schools were unperturbed by security fears.<\/p>\n
Among those schools were SMUN 54 state high school in
\nJatinegara and SMUN 21 state high school in Pulomas, both in East
\nJakarta, and SMPN 22 state junior high school in Jembatan Batu,
\nWest Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for SMUN 54 Supena said the school opted to continue
\nactivities on grounds that Monday's big rally was just a rumor.<\/p>\n
\"There was nothing to worry about, since it was just a rumor.
\nWe couldn't be sure whether it would happen or not,\" Supena told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Like major streets, several business centers in the capital
\nwere quieter on Monday.<\/p>\n
Markets in Jatinegara and Kramat Jati in East Jakarta and the
\ncrowded area of Pasar Kenari, Pasar Rumput and Senen markets in
\nCentral Jakarta were opened but with few shoppers.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the vendors here keep their shops open because they
\ndo not want to lose customers or buyers. It's quite tiring if
\nevery time you hear rumors of riots you suspend your business.
\nIt's a loss anyway,\" Fandry, a foam-bed supplier at Jatinegara
\nmarket, said.<\/p>\n
Some kiosks in Jatinegara, however, were closed.<\/p>\n
In Kramat Jati wholesaler market, business halted at 8 a.m.<\/p>\n
\"All vendors here tended to finish their activities sooner in
\ncase of something went wrong,\" Karjo, a corn broker, said.<\/p>\n
Trading in Glodok electronic center and Senen business area in
\nCentral Jakarta was visibly normal on Monday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, about six Japanese businessmen, temporarily working
\nin the capital, left their hotel in West Jakarta on Monday to
\nanticipate the rumors.<\/p>\n
A hotel staffer who requested anonymity, said his clients only
\nleft the capital for one day.<\/p>\n
\"They went to Bogor and will return here on Tuesday,\" he said.
\n(02\/04\/07\/edt)<\/p>",
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