Hooligans win the game<\/p>\n
There seems to be fewer and fewer safe places in Indonesia
\ntoday. Apart from the religious conflicts in Ambon and the bloody
\ncommunal clashes in West Kalimantan, there are other places in
\nour country which also are not secure from deleterious members of
\nsociety. For example, there are the aggressive soccer hooligans
\nwho have caused trouble at soccer matches for years.<\/p>\n
With these hooligans in mind, all citizens are expected to
\nunderstand the reason behind the All-Indonesian Soccer
\nFederation's (PSSI) decision over the weekend to move the final
\nmatch of the fifth Indonesian Soccer League playoffs, which was
\nscheduled for Sunday. The federation decided to move the final
\nfrom Senayan sports stadium in Central Jakarta, to Klabat sports
\nstadium in Manado, North Sulawesi, 2,350 kilometers away.<\/p>\n
The final, which will be contested by Persebaya Surabaya and
\nPSIS Semarang, two old rivals, now will be held either on April 9
\nor April 10.<\/p>\n
PSSI chairman Agum Gumelar said security problems inside and
\noutside the stadium was the main reason for the change of venue.
\nSecurity disruptions during Thursday's semifinal matches caused
\nthe Jakarta Police to revoke the federation's permit to hold the
\nfinal match here.<\/p>\n
Earlier reports said Jakarta Police had arrested 18 people
\nfrom Semarang, Surabaya, Jakarta and Medan, North Sumatra, in
\nSenayan stadium for carrying dangerous objects, including
\nexplosives and sharp weapons. A PSIS supporter was arrested with
\nfour explosive devices tied to his legs beneath his baggy
\ntrousers.<\/p>\n
It sounds unbelievable, but police claim each of the devices,
\nwhich were 15 centimeters in diameter, could destroy a building
\nand kill all those within a 10 meter radius.<\/p>\n
By moving the final to Manado, PSSI seems to hope the venue
\nwill be too far away for hooligans to reach, besides the fact
\nthat the city has a well-equipped stadium.<\/p>\n
An alternative to moving the venue would have been to hold the
\nmatch right here in Jakarta without spectators. This was done in
\nEngland when soccer hooliganism was at its peak there about 15
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
However, this idea is unworkable here because hooligans cause
\ntrouble outside of the stadium as well as inside. They illegally
\nhitch rides on trains, stone supporters of rival teams, damage
\ncars and steal food from food stalls.<\/p>\n
During the playoffs here, these angry young men also extorted
\nmoney from people. As if their actions in the capital city were
\nnot disastrous enough, on their way home they damaged trains and
\ntrain stations. The future does not promise any improvement in
\nthe situation because the number of hooligans has continued to
\nincrease from year to year. And these hooligans are becoming more
\nand more professional in creating chaos.<\/p>\n
So far, like other new troubles, no effective way to limit the
\nnumber of hooligans or put a stop to their destruction has been
\nfound. Some of these young men are pure soccer fans with a strong
\nsense of loyalty to their local teams. Their spirit of solidarity
\nis fanned by local authorities who call on them to show their
\nsupport and attend matches wherever their local team plays.<\/p>\n
They take this as a challenge to what they believe is their
\nsense of patriotism. They follow their team everywhere. The
\ntrouble is most of these fans do not have the money to support
\ntheir travels.<\/p>\n
The world over, this is often the beginning of the trouble
\nwhich so frequently surrounds the world's most popular sport,
\nwhich has the power to provoke emotions and animosity among fans.<\/p>\n
The change of venue for the final match must be seen by
\nhooligans as both insult and victory. Soccer hooliganism poses a
\ngreat challenge, not only for PSSI but also for the nation. If
\nthis phenomenon is not resolved, one day we will have to hold the
\nsoccer playoffs in Merauke, the country's easternmost town. Or
\nmaybe we can build a stadium in Wamena, in the central highlands
\nof Irian Jaya.<\/p>",
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