Jakarta quiet as Asian-African summit opens

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.