Sutiyoso orders districts to monitor visitors' activities<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso on Thursday ordered all of the
\ncity's 265 subdistrict heads and 43 district chiefs to monitor
\nboth the anti- and pro-President Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid
\nsupporters who were staying at 44 spots in the city's five
\nmayoralties.<\/p>\n
\"From now until April 30 you will have to stay alert, watch
\nthese places and report on developments to your superiors,\"
\nSutiyoso told the officials during a meeting at City Hall.<\/p>\n
He cited the Asshiddiqiyah Islamic Boarding School in West
\nJakarta as a site hosting the President's supporters and the Pol
\nTangan area in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta as hosting the anti-
\nGus Dur forces, led by Habib (Muslim leader) Hussein Al-Habsyi.<\/p>\n
The governor revealed that the city chapter of the Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU) Muslim organization would deploy 25,000 supporters for
\nthe istighotsah (mass prayer) at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium in
\nCentral Jakarta on April, 29.<\/p>\n
\"I have received reports on the real number of the President's
\nsupporters and his opponents. I hope you can report the number of
\nsupporters of both camps in your respective areas,\" Sutiyoso
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
It has been widely reported that hundreds of thousands of NU
\nmembers, once led by Abdurrahman, will flock to the capital for
\nthe mass prayer on Sunday. The prayer is slated for one day ahead
\nof the House of Representatives plenary session which will likely
\nissue a second memorandum of censure against the President.<\/p>\n
Although the city council will also hold its plenary session
\nto give a final opinion on the governor's statement of
\naccountability, Sutiyoso asked that the officials pay more
\nattention to the two national political events.<\/p>\n
\"We should be more concerned with the national interest. If
\nthe statement of accountability is rejected, we still have one
\nmonth to improve on it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso ordered the officials to erect banners to courteously
\nwelcome the mass prayer participants and avoid any banners that
\ncould be interpreted as challenging them to commit violent or
\nchaotic acts.<\/p>\n
According to city administration data, supporters of the
\nPresident have booked hundreds of rooms in several hotels in the
\ncity for an indefinite period from Saturday onwards.<\/p>\n
Several rooms of the Hotel Djody on Jl. Jaksa in Central
\nJakarta have been reserved for 100 Gus Dur supporters from East
\nJava, while another 100 supporters have reserved rooms in the
\nNirwana Hotel in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The President's supporters have also booked rooms in the Hotel
\nSari Pan Pasifik and Hotel President on Jl. Thamrin in Central
\nJakarta, and 300 rooms in the Wisma PHI, also in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The administration has also received information that
\nthousands of the President's supporters from Lamongan, Jombang,
\nMojokerto and Bojonegoro have purchased tickets to Jakarta to
\njoin the mass prayer.<\/p>\n
At least 7,000 police officers, including 1,900 Banpol
\ncivilian police auxiliaries, will be deployed to help the police
\nin securing the capital against possible unrest.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said on Thursday that the officers would prioritize
\nsecurity for foreign diplomats.<\/p>\n
\"They will be escorted from their offices to their respective
\nresidences,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, city council Speaker Edy Waluyo called on Jakarta
\nresidents to remain calm and continue with their activities
\ndespite the current political tension.<\/p>\n
\"We also call on migrants to keep alert to possible
\nprovocation from any parties intent on creating disorder,\" Edy
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
He supported the issuance of the shoot-on-sight order against
\nrioters, but suggested that any such action be conducted in
\naccordance with the procedures. (jun)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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