Over one million attend big bash at Monas Park<\/p>\n
By K. Basrie and Yoko N. Sari<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): On a rare historic occasion, over half a million
\npeople jammed the Monumen Nasional (Monas) Park yesterday for
\nKenduri Nasional, the National Thanksgiving Party led by
\nPresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
It was a special occasion for many as the head of state
\nmingled with the crowd during the party.<\/p>\n
The number increased to over one million in the evening, when
\na captivating display of fireworks bathed the monument in bright
\ncolors, dominated by red and white, the colors of the national
\nflag.<\/p>\n
The organizing committee distributed 56,000 invitations, but
\nwhen the ceremony started at 4 p.m., the crowd reached over half
\na million. Among them were groups invited from the city's 265
\nsubdistricts, each bringing a tumpeng (rice cone). Each
\nsubdistrict sent around 200 people, all dressed in the
\ntraditional Betawi costume of a white collarless shirt for the
\nmen and a red kebaya for the women.<\/p>\n
\"It's a once in a lifetime event, we're proud of doing this,\"
\nsaid Abdurrachman, a Central Jakarta resident who claimed his
\ngroup had the largest tumpeng.<\/p>\n
The invitees, including foreign ambassadors, also wore
\ntraditional Betawi costume. They created a spectacular red-and-
\nwhite scene at the huge park, where 27 mobile stages had been set
\nup. No less than 250 traditional drummers and 15 large drums were
\nsounded at 3 p.m. to accompany 2,000 dancers. The number of
\ndancers did not include those from outside Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The gathering was opened with a prayer and followed by the
\nPresident's cutting of a large tumpeng. Soeharto then gave a
\npiece of rice cone to each person representing the freedom
\nfighters and neighborhood community chiefs.<\/p>\n
The tumpeng cutting was followed by the release of 50,000 red
\nand white balloons by Mrs. Tien Soeharto and a song, Tembang
\nLestari, by folk singer Leo Kristi, who wrote the song for the
\nevent.<\/p>\n
Many in the crowd begun filling the park as early as 1:30
\np.m., not minding the traffic jams and difficulties of getting to
\nthe gathering.<\/p>\n
\"I just wanted to see Pak Harto (the president) and the
\nfireworks,\" said Sumiati from her wheelchair, when asked why she
\ndid not watch the event from TV at home.<\/p>\n
Another was a 25-year-old blind man, Budi, who also came for
\nthe fireworks.<\/p>\n
\"I could see them from the joy of others,\" Budi explained when
\nasked how he could possibly see the fireworks.<\/p>\n
The crowd grew larger at around 6 p.m., when it was estimated
\nthat the number had surpassed one million.<\/p>\n
A number of tourists expressed disappointment with being
\nbarred from entering the park on the grounds that they were not
\nin red and white. Several tourists, however, were seen carrying
\nthe national flags on their backpacks, apparently affected by the
\nfestive mood.<\/p>\n
Fireworks<\/p>\n
The fireworks, a gift from the government and people of
\nFrance, started at 8:05 p.m., half an hour earlier than planned.<\/p>\n
The decision was made to calm down the crowd, many coming from
\noutside Jakarta, who seemed impatient to see the display. The
\nhalf-hour firework show was accompanied by dangdut, jazz,
\nclassical and traditional Indonesian music, closed by Gebyar
\nGebyar, a song by noted Indonesian musician Gombloh. All the
\nmelodies were synchronized with the firework patterns.<\/p>\n
Various configurations, including those of the French and
\nIndonesian flags, painted the bright sky around Monas Park. The
\nfireworks were designed by French artist Pierre-Alain Hubert,
\ndubbed as the King of Fireworks. Shouts of delight were heard
\nfrom the spectators when a monumental waterfall design in silver
\nsparks dropped from the top of the monument.<\/p>\n
Sure enough, the fireworks calmed down the crowd, who stopped
\njostling to enjoy the show, including a silhouette of a Javanese
\nGatotkoco dance projected onto the monument.<\/p>\n
A total of 5,500 officials, including members of the armed
\nforces, were deployed to safeguard the event.<\/p>\n
As soon as the firework display was over, many left, crowding
\nall the roads around the park. However, more remained to dance
\nwith the singers and musicians who performed on the five
\nentertainment stages. The most crowded stage was the one
\nsponsored by the West Jakarta mayoralty, where noted Indonesian
\nsingers and musicians, including ballad singer Iwan Fals, and
\nrockers Achmad Albar, and Renny Jayusman, performed. No less
\ncrowded was the one sponsored by the East Jakarta mayoralty,
\nwhich presented popular dangdut music. The other musicians and
\nartists were Benjamin S, Atik CB and Ikang Fauzi.<\/p>",
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