Jakarta returns to normal after violent clashes<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The hustle and bustle of the capital resumed on
\nSunday after three days of tension following violent clashes
\nbetween antigovernment protesters and riot troops on Thursday and
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Traffic on the city's main thoroughfare of Jl. Sudirman, a
\nscene of running battles between security troops and protesters
\nfor two days, also returned to normal.<\/p>\n
Debris resulting from street battles, which flared after
\nmembers of the House of Representatives failed to meet the
\nstudents' demands to drop the state security bill, was no longer
\nvisible along the 12-lane road after street sweepers of private
\ncompanies and the city administration cleaned the area shortly
\nafter the military -- on behalf of the government -- decided to
\npostpone the bill on Friday evening.<\/p>\n
The cleaners removed broken glass left from Molotov cocktails,
\nsticks and iron bars taken from public facilities, leaving the
\nsite almost the same as before.<\/p>\n
Atma Jaya University, which was used as a base for the
\nstudents in their protest, was deserted.<\/p>\n
The overall peaceful situation was made more evident by the
\nabsence of troops.<\/p>\n
The same atmosphere was apparent at the University of
\nIndonesia's Salemba campus, which one of the dead victims
\nattended.<\/p>\n
The campus on Jl. Salemba in Central Jakarta was void of
\npeople, but was plastered with posters and banners condemning the
\nmilitary and police over the senseless shooting.<\/p>\n
Dozens of security personnel, however, could be seen on guard
\nin the vicinity of the House compound, about one kilometer from
\nthe Sudirman area.<\/p>\n
But their number was far fewer than on previous days.<\/p>\n
Some motorists pulled over to the side of the road at the T-
\nintersection near the Jakarta Hospital on Jl. Sudirman, where a
\ncrowd of onlookers were blindly fired upon late Friday. At least
\nthree people were killed in the incident, including student Yap
\nYun Hap of the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Motorists tried to read things written on the flower wreaths
\nleft at the scene in memory of the victims.<\/p>\n
A number of yellow flags, a symbol of mourning, were also
\nerected at the site.<\/p>\n
The city began to return to normal on Saturday evening when
\nentertainment spots in various locations, such as those along Jl.
\nGatot Subroto, Jl. Gajah Mada, Jl. Blora and the Blok M area,
\nbegan to show signs of life again.<\/p>\n
Many street cafes, which have been mushrooming in the city
\nthis year after the recession crippled the economy, were crowded
\nwith customers in the evening.<\/p>\n
\"I am now brave enough to venture out as I don't believe there
\nwill be riots now that the state security bill, which was
\nstrongly opposed by the students and the public, has been
\npostponed by the government.<\/p>\n
\"So, insya Allah (God willing) there will be no chaos,\" Jumhur
\nSulistyo, a visitor to a street cafe in Monas Park in Central
\nJakarta, was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Shops at malls, shopping centers and traditional markets also
\nstarted to get back into routine on Sunday after being fearful of
\nturmoil over the past three days.<\/p>\n
Shopping malls like Plaza Indonesia and Menteng Prada and the
\nSarinah department store in Central Jakarta also resumed their
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
Separately, several expatriates here said they had become
\naccustomed to tension resulting from the seemingly endless
\nviolence in the city.<\/p>\n
Interviewed separately on Sunday, a British man, Canadians and
\na Filipino said they felt at no risk whatsoever because
\nforeigners were not targeted in the escalating violence in the
\ncapital.<\/p>\n
Canadian housewife Reinhilde Rochow felt that people should
\nthink wisely and always prepare for the worst.<\/p>\n
\"I have prepared myself, like keeping enough food and water;
\nthen you don't have to go out foolishly while there are problems
\nout there,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Rochow said she had become used to the violence in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Another Canadian, Eric Culley, said he just kept well-informed
\nabout developments from the Internet, friends and his embassy.<\/p>\n
\"What is needed is be careful and to watch out for any
\ndevelopment. I also learn more Bahasa Indonesia to get the
\ninformation easier,\" the consultant of a private employee said.<\/p>\n
Private English teacher Robert from England said he did not
\nconsider himself to be in any danger at times of violence.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't even go abroad in May last year when massive riots
\nhit the city. I just stayed at home. Maybe it's because I'm
\nunmarried, things could be different if I had wife and children,\"
\nhe said. (bsr\/ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-returns-to-normal-after-violent-clashes-1447893297",
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