Hooligans win the game

Hooligans win the game

There seems to be fewer and fewer safe places in Indonesia
today. Apart from the religious conflicts in Ambon and the bloody
communal clashes in West Kalimantan, there are other places in
our country which also are not secure from deleterious members of
society. For example, there are the aggressive soccer hooligans
who have caused trouble at soccer matches for years.

With these hooligans in mind, all citizens are expected to
understand the reason behind the All-Indonesian Soccer
Federation's (PSSI) decision over the weekend to move the final
match of the fifth Indonesian Soccer League playoffs, which was
scheduled for Sunday. The federation decided to move the final
from Senayan sports stadium in Central Jakarta, to Klabat sports
stadium in Manado, North Sulawesi, 2,350 kilometers away.

The final, which will be contested by Persebaya Surabaya and
PSIS Semarang, two old rivals, now will be held either on April 9
or April 10.

PSSI chairman Agum Gumelar said security problems inside and
outside the stadium was the main reason for the change of venue.
Security disruptions during Thursday's semifinal matches caused
the Jakarta Police to revoke the federation's permit to hold the
final match here.

Earlier reports said Jakarta Police had arrested 18 people
from Semarang, Surabaya, Jakarta and Medan, North Sumatra, in
Senayan stadium for carrying dangerous objects, including
explosives and sharp weapons. A PSIS supporter was arrested with
four explosive devices tied to his legs beneath his baggy
trousers.

It sounds unbelievable, but police claim each of the devices,
which were 15 centimeters in diameter, could destroy a building
and kill all those within a 10 meter radius.

By moving the final to Manado, PSSI seems to hope the venue
will be too far away for hooligans to reach, besides the fact
that the city has a well-equipped stadium.

An alternative to moving the venue would have been to hold the
match right here in Jakarta without spectators. This was done in
England when soccer hooliganism was at its peak there about 15
years ago.

However, this idea is unworkable here because hooligans cause
trouble outside of the stadium as well as inside. They illegally
hitch rides on trains, stone supporters of rival teams, damage
cars and steal food from food stalls.

During the playoffs here, these angry young men also extorted
money from people. As if their actions in the capital city were
not disastrous enough, on their way home they damaged trains and
train stations. The future does not promise any improvement in
the situation because the number of hooligans has continued to
increase from year to year. And these hooligans are becoming more
and more professional in creating chaos.

So far, like other new troubles, no effective way to limit the
number of hooligans or put a stop to their destruction has been
found. Some of these young men are pure soccer fans with a strong
sense of loyalty to their local teams. Their spirit of solidarity
is fanned by local authorities who call on them to show their
support and attend matches wherever their local team plays.

They take this as a challenge to what they believe is their
sense of patriotism. They follow their team everywhere. The
trouble is most of these fans do not have the money to support
their travels.

The world over, this is often the beginning of the trouble
which so frequently surrounds the world's most popular sport,
which has the power to provoke emotions and animosity among fans.

The change of venue for the final match must be seen by
hooligans as both insult and victory. Soccer hooliganism poses a
great challenge, not only for PSSI but also for the nation. If
this phenomenon is not resolved, one day we will have to hold the
soccer playoffs in Merauke, the country's easternmost town. Or
maybe we can build a stadium in Wamena, in the central highlands
of Irian Jaya.