City to eradicate hoodlums through major operation

City to eradicate hoodlums through major operation

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will launch an open-
ended operation against some 1,300 hoodlums, locally known as
preman, in the city's five mayoralties starting from Monday,
Governor Sutiyoso said on Thursday.

"We have identified the hoodlums, including the places where
they hang out," Sutiyoso told reporters after a coordinating
meeting at City Hall.

Final preparations for the operation against the thugs were
discussed at the meeting, which was also attended by Jakarta
Military Commander Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo, Deputy Jakarta Police
chief Brig. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara and Head of the Jakarta
Prosecutors' Office Basrief Arief.

Sutiyoso said that not all of the hoodlums would be punished,
citing that many would be monitored and possibly given jobs.

But, he said any thugs found violating the law such as
extorting money or assaulting people, would be punished.

"The operation will begin at more or less the same time in the
five mayoralties," he stated.

A city official said the administration, with the help of the
police, had identified at least 19 leaders of the thugs who would
be punished severely, citing the shoot-on-site order issued to
police in respect of any of them trying to resist arrest.

The 19 bosses are believed to frequent 12 public places,
including the Senen, Tanah Abang and Pasar Baru markets in
Central Jakarta; the Kebayoran Lama and Blok M markets in South
Jakarta; Tanjung Priok bus terminal in North Jakarta; Glodok
market in West Jakarta; and Jatinegara market in East Jakarta.

Sutiyoso said the operation against the thugs would involve
local residents, who would be deployed at several security posts,
currently under construction in the markets and other business
centers.

"Some selected local residents will be involved in the
operation," he said.

He stressed that the operations would be conducted regularly
until there were no more thugs operating in the markets and other
public places.

Outgoing Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman said
last week that some 800 police officers would be deployed as part
of the operation. They would be assisted by at least 1,900
civilian police auxiliaries (Banpol) employed by the city
administration.

Sulaiman said the officers would not hesitate to act
resolutely against the hoodlums, including shooting them if
necessary.

Sutiyoso said not all of the officers would be deployed
everyday during the operation.

"We'll reduce the number of assigned officers if the
activities of the thugs also decrease due to the operation," he
said.

The governor has declared a war on the preman following
brawls between Madurese people and native Jakarta (Betawi) people
in the Kebayoran Lama and Tanah Abang markets last month, which
claimed two lives.

Experts and activists, however, doubted the effectiveness of
such an operation targeted at the hoodlums, saying that certain
groups still used the hoodlums to protect their interests.

"Such an operation will be effective for a certain period of
time. But in the future, they will emerge again as the root of
the problem is poverty," criminologist Adrianus Meliala of the
University of Indonesia said.

Human rights activist Azaz Tigor Nainggolan said such
operations could create communal clashes between migrants and
local people.

Tigor, who has been fighting for the rights of street vendors
in South Jakarta, said the administration was believed to have
hired hoodlums to serve its own interests in the past.

"Some preman in Jatinegara market are allowed to take levies
from the vendors. They then pay the money over to the police, the
mayoralty and the military," he said. (jun)