Chinese-Indonesians still fearful of more rioting

Chinese-Indonesians still fearful of more rioting

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

High, strong fences were erected surrounding some malls and
shopping centers here in the wake of the May 1998 riots, yet they
fail to ensure business safety, at least for most shop owners who
are still traumatized by the bloody incidents four years ago.

Patty, 45, an owner of a cosmetics shop at Mal Ciputra in
Grogol, West Jakarta, said she still felt unsafe and worried
that similar riots might recur though the mall management had
constructed strong, three-meter high fences.

"The strong fence will only hamper the rioters from
trespassing but not totally block their way," said Patty, whose
shop at Glodok Plaza in Kota, West Jakarta was demolished during
the May riots.

She worried that imminent riots were still possible amid the
country's unstable political and economic situation.

The most important thing, Patty said, was not the construction
of the fences but the improvement of the country's political and
economic situation.

After she lost her shop during the May riots, Patty now has an
insurance policy on her shop, but she still feels unsafe and
admits that the insurance company would only minimally reimburse
any losses.

Leo, 40, the owner of a shop at Gajah Mada Plaza in West
Jakarta admitted that the fence at least gave a bit of a
feeling of safety though "it is like being imprisoned."

"The mall is located near to Chinatown, which is consistently
exposed and can easily become a riot zone again," Leo said.

He said there was a lingering anti-Chinese sentiment, among
most native Indonesians, as evidenced by the May riots, the
looting and burning of shops and houses, mostly belonging to
Chinese-Indonesians and the gang rape of many Chinese-Indonesian
women.

Leo used to have two textile outlets, respectively at Gajah
Mada Plaza and Glodok shopping center. But the latter was
destroyed during the 1998 riots.

"Today, for business safety, all my goods have been insured
for any unexpected incidents, including riots," Leo said.

The May riots incurred losses of more than Rp 2.5 trillion
(US$268 million). Thousands of buildings were destroyed during
the violence, which also claimed 2,244 lives, according to the
latest data from the Volunteers' Team for Humanity.

After the riots, some malls and shopping centers in Jakarta,
including Mal Ciputra and ITC Roxy Mas in Central Jakarta have
constructed strong, high steel fences.

Saidi, spokesman of the security department at Mal Ciputra
acknowledged that the 2.5-meter high fences would be effective
only as a temporary block for rioters, hopefully long enough for
help from the police to arrive.

Meanwhile, Xiung xiung, owner of a cellular phone shop in ITC
Roxy Mas said that security still topped the shop owners'
concerns.

"Certainly, we still worry of possible riots in Jakarta
because nobody, including the government, can guarantee order and
safety in the city," said Xiung.

Xiung recalled the latest clash in January this year when
hundreds of residents of Duri Pulo subdistrict in Central Jakarta
ran amok following the violent eviction of alleged illegal
squatters. In the incident, a car and three motorcycles were set
ablaze but no fatalities were reported.