Security beefed up for Chinese lunar New Year<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): East Java authorities are beefing up security
\nahead of the celebration of Imlek Chinese New Year on Jan. 24
\namid circulating rumors of renewed terrorist attacks like the
\nbombings on Christmas Eve last year.<\/p>\n
\"We received information from several individuals about the
\npossibility of riots on the eve of Imlek.<\/p>\n
\"We will be taking preventive measures and all security forces
\nare being put on alert,\" Surabaya Regional Police chief Sr. Comr.
\nSuharto said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Rumors of unrest on Jan. 23 (Tuesday, the eve of Imlek) have
\nbeen circulating in the capital of East Java, Surabaya.<\/p>\n
\"We heard that possible actions of unrest such as looting,
\narson or bombings will take place on the eve of Imlek,\" Budi
\nLaksono, a shop owner at Pasar Atom, one of the biggest
\ntraditional markets in Surabaya, said.<\/p>\n
East Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Hernantyo further said
\nthat some 20,000 joint forces of the police and the military
\nalong with elements of the country's largest Muslim organization
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU)'s civilian task force, Banser, and the
\ncivilian guards of PDI- Perjuangan are ready to secure the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
East Java is the stronghold of NU and its party, the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB) which was founded by NU's influential
\npatron President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
\"We've learned a lot from the previous bombing of churches in
\nMojokerto on Christmas Eve. We're not dealing with politics, but
\nlogically, the political situation could affect security
\nconditions in East Java as the province is the base of Gus Dur's
\nsupporters,\" officer Hernantyo told The Jakarta Post by phone on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
\"Together with Banser and PDI-Perjuangan civilian guards, we
\nwill secure buddhist temples, churches, mosques and other
\nstrategic places,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Unconfirmed reports estimate that East Java hosts some 500,000
\nBanser civilian guards.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, chairman of the East Java Majelis Agama Khonghucu
\nIndonesia (Council of Indonesian Confucianists) Bingky Irawan
\nurged on Friday for all elements of the community, regardless of
\ntheir religious, racial or ethnic background to be united in the
\nfight against terrorism.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that security arrangements will be better this time,\"
\nBingky said. (edt\/nur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-beefed-up-for-chinese-lunar-new-year-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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