War on 'preman' declared<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city police and military officers have vowed
\nto fight street hoodlums throughout Jakarta following the recent
\nkilling of one police officer and the wounding of another.<\/p>\n
\"The hoodlums (locally called preman) and their activities
\nwill be our first target in our joint operation codenamed
\nCleansing Operation. There is a strong indication that these
\ngroups have disturbed and frightened society,\" said Maj. Gen.
\nWiranto, head of the Jakarta Coordinating Agency for National
\nStability.<\/p>\n
The current incident has sparked all city police, military
\nmembers and other related officers \"to maximize their
\ncapabilities and intensify the joint operation to make this city
\nsafe,\" said Wiranto, who is also the city's military commander.<\/p>\n
Wiranto's remarks support an earlier statement made by City
\nPolice Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo, who also spoke out after
\nMonday's attack on the two officers at the Blok M shopping center
\nin South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Upon learning that one of the police officers was killed in
\nthe incident, Dibyo immediately instructed all his personnel to
\narrange an intensive operation to rid the city of preman.<\/p>\n
Monday evening's attack near the Melawai Plaza building
\nresulted in the death of First Lieutenant Budi Prasetyo Utomo,
\nwho was stabbed and beaten to death by a group of drunken thugs.<\/p>\n
Budi's friend, Capt. Arman Depari, suffered several bruises to
\nthe face. Both were still students at Jakarta's Police College.<\/p>\n
Territory<\/p>\n
Police claim that the argument was ignited by members of the
\ngroup who regularly roam the shopping area like a fiefdom.<\/p>\n
Minutes after the incident, police returned to the scene and
\narrested four suspects. Two other suspects were arrested the
\nfollowing day and another, identified as Mario, was fatally shot
\nin the head and body yesterday. Sources said that Mario was
\n'finished' in Gungung Putri area, Bogor, West Java.<\/p>\n
The suspects who were interrogated said that some of them had
\nbeen tortured during interrogation.<\/p>\n
\"I know that I'm wrong. I already admitted all my wrongdoings.
\nBut do not treat me so inhumanely like this,\" one of the suspects
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
\"They (the interrogating officers) continued to punch me. They
\nused burning cigarette butts, sharp razors, iron bars and rulers
\nto interrogate me,\" he cried. \"They never stopped torturing me
\neven though I had already told them everything.\"<\/p>\n
Police are still searching for at least three others.<\/p>\n
Public support<\/p>\n
Most people contacted by The Jakarta Post yesterday,
\nespecially parking attendants, street vendors, female visitors,
\nfood sellers and traders in the area, support the operation.<\/p>\n
\"I know the preman in this Melawai area better than anywhere
\nelse. They only disturb the public here and I have no single
\nreason not to support the operation,\" said M. Ali, 45, who has
\nbeen working as a parking attendant at the site for 27 years.<\/p>\n
\"The only way to stop them is through a massive operation,\"
\nsaid Muharam, 35, a food seller.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not asking the police to shoot the premans to death but
\nat least clean them out from public areas. Their activities
\nreally frighten us, especially women,\" commented Mrs. Lulu, 38,
\nan architect.<\/p>\n
She urged the police and military officers, however, not to
\nmake this operation a kind of revenge against the preman.<\/p>\n
Dibyo and Wiranto pledged yesterday that their personnel would
\ncarry out the operation obeying all legal procedures.<\/p>\n
Criminologist Mulyana W. Kusumah hoped the operation would be
\nongoing. \"If not, a new generation of hoodlums will set up
\nthere,\" Mulyana commented.<\/p>\n
Yorrys Raweyai, an executive of the powerful Pemuda Pancasila
\norganization, also welcomed the decision.<\/p>\n
\"If needed, we'll do all our best to support the operation,\"
\nYorrys told the Post.<\/p>\n
The city police have already apprehended 39 young people in
\nthe Blok M area believed to be hoodlums.<\/p>\n
\"None of them had identity cards and three were illegally
\ncarrying sharp weapons,\" said the head of the crime investigation
\ndirectorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Lt. Col. Gories
\nMere.<\/p>\n
The 36 people will be released after being identified, Mere
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to Mere, the plan to rid the city of preman in all
\npublic areas, bus terminals, shopping centers and business
\ndistricts would be pursued throughout the city. (bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/war-on-preman-declared-1447893297",
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