Demonstrations around HI to be banned
Demonstrations around HI to be banned
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Jakarta Administration announced on Monday its plan to
propose a bylaw which will ban demonstrations around the newly
renovated Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Jl. MH Thamrin in
Central Jakarta.
"It (the bylaw) is needed to protect the traffic circle. We
don't want the money spent on the fountain to have been in vain,"
Governor Sutiyoso said, referring to the Rp 14 billion (US$1.5
million) project.
Sutiyoso inaugurated on Sunday the completion of the
renovation of the traffic circle, which was built in five degrees
of declivity. The project was funded by an outdoor advertising
agency, PT Media Indra Buana, in exchange for 10 billboard plots
in strategic locations in the city, including around the circle,
for two years.
The Hotel Indonesia traffic circle has become a popular spot
for street rallies since the downfall of authoritarian President
Soeharto in May 1998 due to its strategic location.
The rallies usually caused heavy congestion. The demonstrators
often jumped into the fountain pond and some have even been known
to climb the 17-meter-high Welcome Statue located at the center
of the circle.
The administration once positioned large flower pots around
the circle to prevent the rallies but they were soon broken by
demonstrators.
Sutiyoso told reporters at the City Hall on Monday that the
water fountain in the traffic circle is expected to prevent
demonstrators from climbing the Welcome Statue.
Separately, councillor Dani Anwar of the Justice Party
rejected Sutiyoso's idea to ban demonstrations around the traffic
circle, saying that it was an attempt by Sutiyoso to take away
people's rights.
"The police can arrest demonstrators who destroy the circle,
but we should not ban people from conducting rallies (around the
circle)," said Dani, whose party supporters have often held
large, peaceful rallies at the circle.
He said that forbidding people from conducting rallies would
be against Law No. 9/1999 which allows people to conduct rallies
on condition that they notify the police beforehand.
Student activist Adi Putra Binarta of privately-run Trisakti
University questioned the motivation behind Sutiyoso's proposal
to ban the rallies at the traffic circle.
"Maybe Sutiyoso wants to create an image that he can manage
some semblance of order in the city so that he can be reelected
in the next gubernatorial election," said Adi, who joined a rally
at the circle three months ago.
Sutiyoso had earlier been sharply criticized for his decision
to install a fence around the National Monument Park (Monas),
which is also a popular spot for demonstrations. Activists also
believe that Sutiyoso wanted to block rallies by fencing the
park, but the administration said the fence was aimed at
preventing street traders from operating in the area.