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.