Jakarta quiet as Asian-African summit opens

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Jakarta experienced one of its quietest days this year as the Asia-Africa Summit opened on Friday while authorities continued to impose stringent security measures around the summit venue, and several other areas across Greater Jakarta.

Several of Jakarta's main streets notorious for traffic jams, including Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Gatot Subroto, all in Central Jakarta, were passed by only a few motorists on Friday afternoon.

Busier traffic conditions were found in several outer roads that lead to other cities in West Java, where many Jakartans like to spend their weekends.

The city administration's decision to give students a holiday on Thursday and Saturday, as well as a long weekend for Prophet Muhammad's birthday on Friday may be one of the reasons why the capital was so unusually quiet. The long holiday was also used by many residents to go out of town.

Jakartans welcomed the light traffic as a relief from the daily gridlock in this city of 12 million people.

"We are going to a mall in Central Jakarta, and we are enjoying the view from the car. Jakarta is very beautiful when it slows down like this," Hartono, a resident of Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta, who took her family shopping, told The Jakarta Post.

Taxi drivers complained that they had difficulty reaching their target income to pay their rental fee as there were few passengers.

Taxi drivers, who were waiting for passengers in Semanggi Plaza, South Jakarta, said they hadn't had any passengers since the morning.

"I have gone around the city, but have not found any passengers. Now, I have to think about how I will pay my rental fee. I don't think I can bring money home for my family this evening," Yono, one of the drivers, said.

While the streets were quiet, many police and TNI personnel, touting firearms, were seen guarding the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), the venue of the conference, and Hilton and Mulia Hotels, where most delegates are staying.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said that as of Friday afternoon, police had not found any evidence of any serious threats.

"We have conducted raids on several areas across the city as well as checking motorists and passengers intending to enter the capital. So far we have not found evidence of any threat," Tjiptono told Post.

A total of 24,701 personnel from the police, TNI, and the city administration have been deployed to secure the summit while 1.400 of them have been placed to monitor routes used by the delegates.

Meanwhile, many people who came from Bekasi, Tangerang and Depok, said they were disappointed as they couldn't meet with Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi during Friday prayers at Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta.

"I came here because I want to hear a sermon from Qaddafi. I am very disappointed because I have long admired him," Santo, a resident of Bekasi, was quoted by Detikcom as saying.

Officials at the mosque announced before the prayers that Qaddafi was not coming and Atho Mudzhar from the Ministry of Religious Affairs would take his place.

Atho said in his sermon that the Asia-Africa Summit was one of three important occasions for Muslims within a week besides the Indonesian Muslim Congress and Prophet Muhammad's birthday.

All of them carried the same message of human rights, helping the poor and creating a peaceful world, he said.