Antigovernment rally fails to materialize

Antigovernment rally fails to materialize

JAKARTA (JP): The feared massive antigovernment rally failed
to materialize here on Monday, and the city's unusually quiet
streets were a testimony of residents' concerns.

With some 40,000 stand-by security troops deployed across the
city, businesses and schools were mostly untroubled, except for
several places where bomb threats were received.

There were at least three separate bomb threats and a rumor of
a bomb in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, all eventually proving to
be hoaxes.

Threats were received at the National Development Planning
Board (Bappenas) office in Central Jakarta, at Blok M business
district and nearby Al Azhar mosque, both in South Jakarta.

Coordinating Minister for Economy Rizal Ramli was presiding
over a ministerial meeting when a Bappenas staffer, named Yuni,
received a bomb threat at 8.40 a.m.

An unidentified caller told Yuni that bombs had been planted
at five points in the building, which is situated only a few
meters away from the official residence of Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Central Jakarta Police personnel searched the building and
found no bomb.

At about the same time, Indah, a resident of Jl. Garuda Ujung
in Kemayoran, also in Central Jakarta, received a package
believed to contain a bomb.

Chief of Kemayoran Police subprecinct, Maj. Sujono, said the
package, wrapped in brown paper, was sent by a man identified as
Yuwono TG, a resident of Bandungan tourist resort in Ambarawa
regency, Central Java.

Quoting Indah's brother, Hendra, who received the package,
Sujono said the package was brought in by a man wearing a black
jacket, riding a motorcycle.

As Hendra found cables inside the package, he placed it on the
roadside and reported it to the police, Sujono said.

A bomb threat was also received at Al-Azhar Islamic school
from a telephone call at 9.45 a.m., an employee named Irfan said.

"This man advised us to evacuate the building because it was
going to explode," he said.

Police from Taman Puring subprecinct came along with the City
Police bomb unit only to find no explosive device after more than
an hour of searching.

The school's head of security, Teguh Budi, said all students
were asked to go home immediately following the threat.

While the Jakarta's ministry of education office allowed
schools to halt activities on Monday due to the rumored mass
mobilization, some schools were unperturbed by security fears.

Among those schools were SMUN 54 state high school in
Jatinegara and SMUN 21 state high school in Pulomas, both in East
Jakarta, and SMPN 22 state junior high school in Jembatan Batu,
West Jakarta.

Spokesman for SMUN 54 Supena said the school opted to continue
activities on grounds that Monday's big rally was just a rumor.

"There was nothing to worry about, since it was just a rumor.
We couldn't be sure whether it would happen or not," Supena told
The Jakarta Post.

Like major streets, several business centers in the capital
were quieter on Monday.

Markets in Jatinegara and Kramat Jati in East Jakarta and the
crowded area of Pasar Kenari, Pasar Rumput and Senen markets in
Central Jakarta were opened but with few shoppers.

"Most of the vendors here keep their shops open because they
do not want to lose customers or buyers. It's quite tiring if
every time you hear rumors of riots you suspend your business.
It's a loss anyway," Fandry, a foam-bed supplier at Jatinegara
market, said.

Some kiosks in Jatinegara, however, were closed.

In Kramat Jati wholesaler market, business halted at 8 a.m.

"All vendors here tended to finish their activities sooner in
case of something went wrong," Karjo, a corn broker, said.

Trading in Glodok electronic center and Senen business area in
Central Jakarta was visibly normal on Monday.

Meanwhile, about six Japanese businessmen, temporarily working
in the capital, left their hotel in West Jakarta on Monday to
anticipate the rumors.

A hotel staffer who requested anonymity, said his clients only
left the capital for one day.

"They went to Bogor and will return here on Tuesday," he said.
(02/04/07/edt)