125,000 civilians to help safeguard MPR meeting
125,000 civilians to help safeguard MPR meeting
JAKARTA (JP): The city security authority, short on personnel
and weighed down by a mounting workload, has enlisted 125,000
civilians to help safeguard next week's Special Session of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on
Wednesday that members of youth organizations, security guards
and civilian defense units would be posted at the MPR/House of
Representatives (DPR) complex, strategic sites around the city
and other public places.
There was no alternative to meet all the security duties, he
said.
"We're facing a shortage of personnel. On one hand, we have to
serve the public every day and we could not quit the task," he
told reporters after leading a ceremony officially assigning
5,000 officers from the Jakarta Military Command to the Jakarta
Police for the duration of the session.
"Besides, we also have to secure the MPR's Special Session to
ensure that it will be carried out successfully."
The troops are part of 10,000 personnel from the Marine, Air
Force Special Command Unit (Kopaskhas), Army Strategic Reserves
Command (Kostrad) and Army's Engineer Regiment (Menzikon) who are
assigned to reinforce the Jakarta Police ahead of the session.
The first 5,000 were assigned last week.
On Tuesday, Noegroho, who has been appointed chief of the
Jakarta Operational Command in charge of security for the city
and the MPR session, said 20,000 military and police personnel
were deployed to maintain security in the capital.
The civilians have been dispatched since Monday until Nov. 14,
the day after the closing of the Special Session.
Their ranks include members of the Nahdlatul Ulama youth
organization Ansor, Pemuda Pancasila, Pemuda Panca Marga and
Warga Jaya, Noegroho said Wednesday.
He insisted the security authority would not provide them with
any weapons.
"We are not even equipping them with bamboo sticks. Imagine
how much it would cost to buy the sticks?
"It would be much better if the money could be allocated for
the meals of our personnel."
The civilians are allowed to arm themselves with rattan
sticks, he added.
"It's like in the neighborhood patrol, where some people carry
sticks for protection. It's OK with me."
Civilian groups at the MPR/DPR complex are positioned at
various sites.
Carrying one-meter-long rattan sticks, they wear military-
style uniforms, with white bands on their upper arms bearing the
word "Pamswakarsa" (self-initiative neighborhood security).
"We were asked by the city police to help safeguard the
upcoming MPR special session," Wawan, a member of the Warga Jaya
civilian group's Penjaringan branch in North Jakarta, told The
Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
"They gave us the white bands and these rattan sticks."
Wawan said that they arrived on Wednesday morning and
immediately positioned themselves in the rear grounds, about 300
meters from the back entrance.
Umar Antion, secretary of the group, said: "We're ordered to
prevent demonstrators from entering the building. If they become
violent, we will arrest them and hand them over to the police."
Umar said members of his group were traders or employees.
"If they are employees, they receive dispensation from their
office," he said.
The police distribute meals twice a day.
Wawan, another group member, said: "The police also promised
to give us money later, but the amount is still under
consideration."
Umar said that they had been deployed since last Friday
following an orientation at a youth stadium at Sunter Podomoro in
North Jakarta and a mass gathering at the Senayan stadium in
Central Jakarta on Sunday. (ivy)