Planned massive rally may affect public life<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Fearing possible unrest due to a massive
\nantigovernment rally scheduled for this morning, most activities
\nin the capital will be temporarily closed today.<\/p>\n
Unlike in previous years, only a few people -- mostly state
\nemployees -- are expected to attend the annual flag-raising
\nceremony held on the morning of National Awakening Day because
\nmost schools, universities, banks and offices will be
\nclosed.<\/p>\n
The ceremony is meant to commemorate the 90th anniversary of
\nthe formation of a nationalist movement against Dutch colonial
\nrule.<\/p>\n
\"No, no, no. There's no school tomorrow,\" said 13-year-old
\nJulius Adam of Tarakanita junior high school in Rawamangun, East
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Moslem scholar and leading opposition figure Amien Rais
\nreiterated yesterday that he would keep his promise and lead a
\nmassive demonstration of \"one million\" people at the National
\nMonument (Monas) Square in Central Jakarta beginning at 9 a.m.
\ntoday to bring home the message to President Soeharto that he
\nmust step down.<\/p>\n
\"I hope it will be peaceful,\" he said of the rally which has
\nbeen organized by KAMMI (the Indonesian Moslem Students Action
\nFront).<\/p>\n
Similar mass demonstrations are expected to take place in
\nYogyakarta and other cities.<\/p>\n
Many of the offices which will be closed tomorrow, including
\nbanks, restaurants and foreign-owned institutions, are those
\nlocated near the square and in the city's business center.<\/p>\n
\"We've been told by the management of Summitmas Tower that the
\nbuilding will be closed for the whole day tomorrow (today),\" a
\nfemale employee from the building told The Jakarta Post
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Bank Artha Graha ordered all of its branch offices in Jakarta
\nand nearby towns to halt operations today to prevent possible
\ndamage.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, it may be difficult for our staff to come to work
\ntomorrow because many main roads in Jakarta will be closed by the
\nmassive protest,\" the bank's public relations officer said.<\/p>\n
He added that the bank would resume normal operations on
\nFriday. Thursday is a national public holiday.<\/p>\n
Publicly-listed Bank Niaga said that most of its branch
\noffices here would be also closed.<\/p>\n
\"We want to protect our employees and our properties from more
\ndamage,\" an executive said.<\/p>\n
He added that at least 10 of the bank's Automatic Teller
\nMachines (ATMs) in the city were badly damaged and looted during
\nlast week's riots.<\/p>\n
Several local and foreign institutions and private companies,
\nincluding food and beverage producer Nestle and property
\nconsultants Colliers Jardine, announced they would be closed
\nuntil Friday.<\/p>\n
Banks<\/p>\n
Bank Indonesia, the central bank announced yesterday that all
\nbanking operations, including interbank clearing would continue
\ntoday, despite the rally.<\/p>\n
The central bank halted all clearing activities last Thursday
\nand Friday due to widespread rioting in the city.<\/p>\n
Its stance has been followed by all state banks.<\/p>\n
BNI spokesman Dadang Surachman said that all state banks had
\nbeen ordered to open for business today.<\/p>\n
\"We even have to attend a flag ceremony to commemorate
\nNational Awakening Day tomorrow (today),\" he said.<\/p>\n
The country's largest private bank, Bank Central Asia (BCA),
\nwill also be open today.<\/p>\n
Most state offices will open as usual today.<\/p>\n
An employee of State Logistics Agency (Bulog) said she was
\ndisappointed by the decision.<\/p>\n
\"They even ordered us to dress in the Korpri (Indonesian Civil
\nServant Corps) uniform. It is very risky and we are frightened,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Last night the Monas (National Monument Square) was guarded by
\nsome armored vehicles as rumors had it that a huge rally was
\nplanned at the square. It was unclear who planned to join the
\nrally.<\/p>\n
Sources said thousands of students from universities in
\nseveral cities, including Bandung and Ujungpandang, plan to join
\ntoday's demonstration.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to minimize the possibility of violence, the
\nsecurity forces will deploy half of the city's 78,000 police and
\nmilitary personnel, according to Jakarta Military Commander Maj.
\nGen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, who is also Commander of Operational
\nForces in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"I urge the leaders who have any interest in this moment to be
\nresponsible for their actions, and do not, I repeat, do not bring
\nthis country into more suffering by breaking our trust and
\ncreating chaos,\" he said yesterday afternoon at Istora Senayan
\nafter inspecting the troops to be deployed at today's rally.<\/p>\n
According to Amien Rais, the monument square is such \"a wide
\nand open field that hopefully it will minimize the possibility of
\nviolence.\"<\/p>\n
He issued a call for the rally to be filled with istighfar,
\ntasbih, tahmid, takbir and tahlil, Islamic terms meaning to ask
\nAllah for forgiveness, utter praises glorifying Him, and express
\ngratitude to Him.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso is scheduled to attend the National
\nAwakening Day ceremony at the Presidential Palace. (team)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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