Military to continue `Operation Cleansing'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen.
\nHendropriyono said the ongoing Operation Cleansing will continue
\nuninterrupted even if he is no longer in office.<\/p>\n
"As long as the situation is still prone to disturbances,
\nOperation Cleansing will be continued by my successor, whoever he
\nis," Hendro was quoted by Media Indonesia as saying over the
\nweekend.<\/p>\n
The two-star general was speaking during a discourse on "how
\nto enhance stability in the era of openness" with the employees
\nof the PT Toyota Astra Motor automobile company.<\/p>\n
The employees hailed Operasi Bersih as very effective in
\nsuppressing the crime rate but expressed their anxiety that the
\noperation would be stopped if he is transferred to another post.<\/p>\n
Hendro admitted that such a big operation, which requires a
\nhuge amount of funds and a great number of personnel and
\nfacilities, would surely have to end someday<\/p>\n
He gave his assurance, however, that as long as various
\nthreats to law and order prevail the operation would be
\ncontinued.<\/p>\n
He explained that the operation was launched by Bakorstanasda
\n(the city chapter of the Agency for Coordination of Support for
\nNational Stability) on April 11 because the crime rate had
\nreached and alarming level, including the increasing frequency of
\nstudent brawls in the city.<\/p>\n
In its initial stage, the operation focussed on seizing
\nillegally sold alcoholic drinks and sharp weapons and firearms
\ncarried by civilians in public.<\/p>\n
As of May 31, the operation had captured 1,500 people,
\nconsisting of drunkards and criminals, and seized 600,000 bottles
\nof drink, 500 sharp weapons, a dozen of firearms and
\napproximately 4 million pills of banned drugs.<\/p>\n
Later the operation extended its focus to "daredevil racers",
\nyoungsters driving cars and motorcycles recklessly at night,
\ngamblers and apparently demonstrations considered detrimental to
\nnational stability.<\/p>\n
The operation, which initially had 16,000 personnel, now has
\n46,000 personnel recruited from the army, navy, air force and
\npolice force.<\/p>\n
Pagers<\/p>\n
"The Jakarta military command also deploys another 2,000
\nofficers equipped with pagers to patrol the city on bike around
\nthe clock," said Hendro.<\/p>\n
These patrolmen, he said, can be called by anyone who needs
\nhelp. Their pager numbers, written on stickers, have been spread
\nthroughout the city, many stuck public phone booths.<\/p>\n
Hendro, however, regretted that the reporting-via-pager scheme
\nis still far from popular.<\/p>\n
"I urge the public not to be reluctant to make pager calls
\nanytime they feel they are in danger or see suspicious things. I
\nguarantee the officers will quickly come to their rescue," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Present on Friday's discourse were President Director of the
\nPT Toyota Astra Motor company Rudiyanto Hardjanto, the
\nintelligence assistant to the Jakarta Military Command, Col.
\nZacky Anwar, the territorial assistant of the Jakarta Military
\nCommand, Col. Syahrir MS, and North Jakarta military commander
\nLt. Col. Makmursyah. (jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-to-continue-operation-cleansing-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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