'Sweeping' unclear to some Jakartans<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although they have often heard of the word \"sweeping\",
\nresidents of Pondok Pinang area in South Jakarta have no clue
\nabout its meaning, let alone establishing an antisweeping forum
\nto help protect foreigners in the city.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the antisweeping banners displayed by the Kebayoran
\nLama Police at an intersection in South Jakarta on the residents'
\nbehalf, were ignored as most residents do not feel the necessity
\nto partake in something they do not understand.<\/p>\n
\"I don't quite understand the meaning of the word sweeping. I
\ndon't know the meaning, or the purpose of it,\" said Ishak, a
\nneighborhood unit chief of the Pondok Pinang subdistrict, which
\nis located only a few kilometers away from the elite Pondok Indah
\nresidential area.<\/p>\n
When the banners hung by the police since Saturday, right down
\nthe street from his village, saying \"Residents of Kebayoran Lama
\nare against anarchic action and sweeping of foreigners\" were
\npointed out to him, Ishak said that he was aware of the banners,
\nyet he did not fully understand the meaning.<\/p>\n
\"I am against any violent actions toward people regardless of
\ntheir nationality, but if Pondok Indah is attacked, what can I
\ndo?,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"Should such a thing happen, God forbid, I would probably just
\nstay at home.. I don't want to get involved in anything I'm not
\nsure about,\" he added.<\/p>\n
His neighbor Rolly expressed the same bewilderment when asked
\nabout his stance on anti-foreigner sweeping.<\/p>\n
\"I don't agree with violent actions... that's what sweeping
\nis, right? \" Rolly asked the Post.<\/p>\n
However, Rolly quickly added that he, too, is against violence
\nand believes that people should help one another in times of
\ntrouble.<\/p>\n
Groups of Muslim hard-liners have been rallying in the city,
\nmainly in front of the U.S. Embassy to protest the U.S.-led
\nattack on Afghanistan which has prompted several countries to
\nissue a travel warning to its citizens.<\/p>\n
Residents and businesspeople on Jl. Jaksa, which is popular
\namong backpackers, have formed a forum to protect foreigners as
\ntourists begin to desert hotels and restaurants in the area.<\/p>\n
Residents in Tebet, South Jakarta and in Tanjung Priok, North
\nJakarta, have also formed a similar forum along with local
\nadministration and security authorities.<\/p>\n
One Islamic school teacher, Muhimin, also a resident of Pondok
\nPinang, said that he was against the sweeping of foreigners
\nbecause he loves peace.<\/p>\n
\"If they come to attack, I will try to negotiate with the
\nperpetrators, God's willing. That is, if I am accompanied by the
\nother residents,\" he explained.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sweeping-unclear-to-some-jakartans-1447893297",
"image": ""
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