Antiwar protesters begin targeting U.S. interests<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
With a war in Iraq apparently drawing closer, anti-American
\nprotesters began to target United States' interests on Wednesday
\nas the police here announced they were ready to protect
\nforeigners and foreign assets in the capital.<\/p>\n
Dozens of youths grouped in the Islamic Youth Movement (GPI)
\nrallied in front of a McDonald's outlet on Jl. MH. Thamrin in
\nCentral Jakarta and stopped customers entering the restaurant in
\nprotest against the U.S. plan to invade Iraq.<\/p>\n
No violence was reported as dozens of customers, including
\nforeigners, watched the rally from inside the restaurant, which
\nis open 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n
The protest lasted 10 minutes, after which the youths
\ncontinued their protest at the United Nations building just
\nacross the road from the restaurant, and later the U.S. Embassy
\non Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan.<\/p>\n
In front of the embassy, the youths burned tires in addition
\nto making speeches deploring the planned invasion.<\/p>\n
The same anti-war protest took place in the Central Sulawesi
\ncapital of Palu when hundreds of students barricaded a Kentucky
\nFried Chicken outlet and scared away customers.<\/p>\n
In a bid to anticipate a possible backlash following a U.S.
\nattack on Iraq, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo
\nconfirmed that the police were on alert for further antiwar
\nprotests across the city.<\/p>\n
"We have beefed up our strength to protect assets linked to
\nthe U.S. and its allies, including Britain, Portugal and Spain,
\ndue to heightened security concerns in the capital," Prasetyo
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Prasetyo, however, declined to reveal how many police officers
\nwould be deployed to provide security in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He also said the police would intensify its patrols to monitor
\nthe city's security situation.<\/p>\n
Separately, an advisor to National Police chief Gen. Da'i
\nBachtiar, Insp. Gen. Sudirman Ail, said the police had held a
\nmeeting with security officers from all embassies in the country
\nto anticipate public protests against an attack on Iraq.<\/p>\n
"As well as the U.S. and its allies, we will also provide
\nprotection for all other foreign interests here," he said during
\na meeting with religious leaders.<\/p>\n
Sudirman said that police would be deployed primarily in
\npublic places such as shopping centers and office buildings.<\/p>\n
"We suggest that foreigners should stay at home in the event
\nof a wave of antiwar protests," he said.<\/p>\n
Sudirman also disclosed that the police had formulated a
\ncontingency plan should the security situation worsen. He did not
\nelaborate, however.<\/p>\n
Earlier, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar revealed
\nthat 250,000 police personnel would be ready to protect the
\ninterests of the U.S. and its allies here.<\/p>\n
He said the Indonesian Military (TNI) was also on standby to
\nback up the police.<\/p>\n
So far, there had been no threat to foreigners or their
\ninterests here, Da'i said.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday afternoon, some soldiers were seen helping police
\nand security guards search the bags of visitors to a McDonald's
\noutlet.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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