'Hansip' called in to protect the capital
'Hansip' called in to protect the capital
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Jakarta administration will deploy some 2,500 civilian
defense (Hansip) officers in anticipation of possible riots in
connection with a planned mass prayer in the National Monument
(Monas) Park, Central Jakarta, on Friday.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said on Thursday that the officers
would be deployed to help police secure the park and business
centers.
"We acknowledge that the police have insufficient personnel.
So we are deploying the Hansip officers to help them," the
governor told reporters at City Hall after meeting with Jakarta
Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb and Jakarta Military
Commander Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo.
Sutiyoso said that the meeting had agreed to increase security
in the city and deploy more officers at economic hubs in
anticipation of disturbances before or after the planned mass
prayer by thousands of people in Monas Park in front of the
United States Embassy on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan.
"I hope the mass gathering will not be held in the park. It
will negatively affect many people," the governor said.
Sutiyoso called on Jakarta residents not to become emotional
in protesting over the U.S-led attacks on Afghanistan, as such
actions could damage the public interest.
He called on the city's civil servants to keep working on
Friday although there would be a mass prayer held near City Hall.
"We should also say our Friday prayers but tomorrow is not a
holiday," he said.
Deputy Governor Abdul Kahfi said the 2,500 officers were part
of a total of 25,000 security personnel who were currently
deployed in the city's five mayoralties.
"Each mayoralty is contributing 500 Hansip officers while the
remaining 22,500 officers are guarding their own areas," Kahfi
told reporters. Hansip officers, dressed in green uniforms, are
usually equipped only with sticks.
At the meeting on Thursday, Sutiyoso donated Rp 500 million
(US$55,555) to the Jakarta Police to help cover operational costs
following the outbreak of anti-U.S. rallies here.
"Since the rallies started in the city, we have had to help
the police maintain stability here," he said.
Meanwhile, the wave of protests against the U.S.-led military
attacks on Afghanistan continued on Thursday as several groups of
protesters staged rallies in the capital.
The largest in number among the protesting groups was
religious group Hizbut Tahrir which staged its rally at the U.S.
Embassy on Thursday afternoon with around 2,500 people in
attendance.
Earlier in the day, dozens of students grouped in the
Indonesian Nationalist Students' Movement (GMNI) also held a
demonstration at the same venue.