'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.