Jakartans taking it to the streets<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Pick-up trucks packed with Moslems highlighted
\nthe end of the Ramadhan fasting month in towns all throughout the
\ncountry on Thursday evening.<\/p>\n
Using trucks and other vehicles, the masses chanted and
\nrecited the praise Allahu Akbar (God is Great) as they toured the
\ntowns.<\/p>\n
Similar rituals also took place in mosques all over Indonesia,
\nhome to the largest Moslem population in the world.<\/p>\n
The annual evening celebration, which occurs on the eve of
\nIdul Fitri, is known as Malam Takbiran.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the annual convoy of vehicles started hitting the
\nstreets around 8 p.m. when thousands of trucks, pick-ups and
\nsedans filled with people ventured to the center of the city.<\/p>\n
The groups were present on all major roads from Jl. M.H.
\nThamrin and Jl. Jendral Sudirman to Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Jl.
\nLetjen S. Parman and Jl. D.I. Panjaitan.<\/p>\n
Colorful neon lights lit up shopping centers and hotels,
\nfurther igniting the festive Idul Fitri celebrations in the
\ncapital city.<\/p>\n
Each of the vehicles was equipped with a complete set of
\nloudspeakers, cassette players, horns, drums and sticks.<\/p>\n
City dwellers everywhere were treated to the beat of the
\ntraditional beduk mosque drum and the sound of people chanting
\nthe Takbir, or the greatness of God, at mosques until dawn.<\/p>\n
At the Istiqlal Grand Mosque near the Monas Square in Central
\nJakarta, the Takbir was led by Julfata Yasin. The mosque was not
\ntoo packed and the atmosphere was graciously serene.<\/p>\n
This year, the ceremonies of Malam Takbiran were centered at
\nMonas Square park and at the Istora Sport Hall in Senayan, also
\nin Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
A great number of people flocked to the two areas to join the
\nritual festivities, including several high-ranking officers.<\/p>\n
Though the deployment of 15,000 police and military officers
\nsignificantly helped reduce traffic problems, some minor criminal
\nviolations and several more serious incidents took place over the
\nholiday weekend.<\/p>\n
One case involved a young man who was arrested for igniting a
\nflare at Senayan stadium.<\/p>\n
The flare, normally used by navy personnel to send SOS
\nsignals, went off, sending off a ball of flames towards the
\nceiling of the stadium which then fell on the stage, just several
\nmeters from the seats of dignitaries, including Minister of
\nReligion Tarmizi Taher and Minister of Education and Culture
\nWardiman Djojonegoro.<\/p>\n
Police seized a 30-centimeter pipe used to hold the KM 52
\nflare light, produced by the Tokyo-based Koa Kako Co. Ltd., from
\nthe suspect, identified as Hs, who is still in police custody.<\/p>\n
The Idul Fitri holidays were also marred by the deaths of more
\nthan a dozen people across the city.<\/p>\n
According to records at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital's
\nmortuary, seven people were killed in traffic accidents on
\nThursday and Friday nights.<\/p>\n
The deceased were identified as Karnadi, 24, a resident of
\nCengkareng, East Jakarta; Supriyanto, 20, resident of Pulo
\nGadung, East Jakarta; Dedy Hartono, 27, a resident of Tegal, West
\nJava, Parlan bin Masrin, a resident of Kaliangke, West Java; M.
\nHendrik Tarig Effendi, 2, resident of Kranggan, South Jakarta;
\nWajli, 30, resident of Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta; and an
\nunidentified man, around 30 years of age.<\/p>\n
Three people were also murdered over the weekend. They were
\nidentified as Tony Elyas, 30, resident of Cakung district, East
\nJakarta; Ahmad Sangi, a 16-year-old high school student living in
\nPaseban district, Central Jakarta; and Hidayat, 30.<\/p>\n
The cause of the murder of Tony Elyias is still unknown while
\nAhmad Sangi was reportedly killed by some thugs near the Atrium
\nbuilding in Senen district, Central Jakarta on the eve of Idul
\nFitri after seeing a film with his friends.<\/p>\n
Hidayat was reportedly beaten up on Friday morning by a mob
\nof people who believed he was a criminal wanted in Pancoran
\ndistrict, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The putrefied corpse of a woman with her head missing was
\ndiscovered on the eve of Idul Fitri in Muaragombong, Bekasi.<\/p>\n
Endro Siswanto, a university student in Surabaya, East Java,
\ndied on Friday after several days of treatment in the UKI
\nhospital.<\/p>\n
The student was admitted to the hospital last Saturday after
\nbeing tortured by a city policeman in Cimanggis, Bogor.<\/p>\n
His relatives told the Jakarta Post Friday at the hospital
\nthat the policeman, identified as Chief Sgt. S, came from the
\nsame hometown in Ngawi, East Java. They said he brutally
\nassaulted Endro last Saturday because he suspected him of having
\nhad an affair with his wife. (bsr\/mas\/jsk\/29)<\/p>",
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