'Clean' visitors have the right to protest

JAKARTA (JP): Nightspot patrons who are not found violating any laws have the right to sue the police or military officers who search them and bring the glare of publicity upon them during Ecstasy and sex crackdowns, a consumer advocate has said.

Referring to the continuous crackdowns against illicit drug and sex transactions at discotheques, hotels and other nightspots, Zoemrotin K. Soesilo, an executive of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation, said on Saturday, that "clean" visitors were having their privacy invaded.

TV viewers might wrongly think the people were suspects or found guilty, she told The Jakarta Post. Innocent patrons of such establishments could be deterred by such raids.

"The operations were unfair because all visitors were examined as if they were criminals," she said.

"They should have had the courage to protest the unfavorable treatment. They have the right to do so," she said.

The recent raids, carried out by dozens to hundreds of police and military personnel, are causes of disagreement between authorities, owners of hotels and nightspots, customers as well as the public.

With strong support from the government, local authorities, starting from the governor to chiefs of the Jakarta Police and military, have vowed to continue their massive raids on the establishments.

In the eyes of the establishments' managements, the operations strongly affect their businesses and drive their customers away.

According to Zoemrotin, the raids should be aimed at the managements, not the customers.

"The managements of the hotels, for instance, could be accused of violating existing rules if they let unmarried couples check in," she said.

"The existing rules stipulate that only a married couple, as shown in their legal documents, are allowed to check into the same room," Zoemrotin added.

Thus, she said, the police could arrest owners and managers of hotels for violating the rule.

"I can't believe the managements of the discotheques or cafes, for instance, have no notion about the use and transaction of drugs, such as Ecstasy, at their places," she said.

"What I believe is that they let it happen to attract more visitors," she said.

"That's why I'd like to suggest that the authorities take harsh punishment against hotels and nightspot operators rather than inspecting the customers which could only introduce another problem," she said.

The city administration has warned that any establishments found to be used for Ecstasy deals will face possible closure, a threat that has sparked controversy.

The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union, for instance, has expressed concern about further unemployment if the discos or hotels or other nightspots were closed down because of Ecstasy.

Zoemrotin also criticized the widely televised coverage of the massive operation, asking why apprehended females were concentrated upon in the coverage and not the males.

During the raids against prostitution at the hotels, for example, the television stations could have screened the males, some of who might have been executives, in an attempt to teach them a lesson.

"Showing just the prostitutes will help us in no way in our efforts to stop prostitution here," said Zoemrotin. (bsr)