Arguments with police

Arguments with police

I refer to an article by Parlindungan Sibarani (The Jakarta
Post, Sunday, June 4, 2000, Living in Jakarta's crime-ridden
jungle).

What he said in his article about his friend's experience with
police officers mirrored my experience on May 12, 2000. I even
suspect it was along the same stretch of road. Indonesian friends
I told about the incident shrugged knowingly, admitting it to be
common knowledge. I wrote to the Post at the time, but my letter
was not printed.

As a point of note, I decided at the time to go to court. Upon
consulting lawyers, I was advised that my tilang (direct fine
paid for traffic offense) was marked with a code between police
officers and the court that I had been uncooperative, abusive and
argumentative to the officer. I had been condemned and sentenced
even before my court appearance.

I have lodged an appeal with some top police officers who
admitted from the photographs of the scene that there was no
violation. Luckily for me, my violation has been canceled. But I
am still deeply upset by the prefabrication and slur on my good
name.

Other expat friends mentioned police raids in night clubs and
being "found" with suspected illegal drugs, planted on them to
extort money in exchange for being "let off". I am deeply worried
at the sort of treatment given to us expats, just because of the
preconceived idea that we are made of money. Another friend even
received a phone call threatening him with a bomb (a hoax).

Indonesia has been an experience not likely to be forgotten,
unfortunately for some of us, over the last few months, with not
so fond memories.

MS. R WAN ALI

Jakarta