Jakarta returns to normal after violent clashes

Jakarta returns to normal after violent clashes

JAKARTA (JP): The hustle and bustle of the capital resumed on
Sunday after three days of tension following violent clashes
between antigovernment protesters and riot troops on Thursday and
Friday.

Traffic on the city's main thoroughfare of Jl. Sudirman, a
scene of running battles between security troops and protesters
for two days, also returned to normal.

Debris resulting from street battles, which flared after
members of the House of Representatives failed to meet the
students' demands to drop the state security bill, was no longer
visible along the 12-lane road after street sweepers of private
companies and the city administration cleaned the area shortly
after the military -- on behalf of the government -- decided to
postpone the bill on Friday evening.

The cleaners removed broken glass left from Molotov cocktails,
sticks and iron bars taken from public facilities, leaving the
site almost the same as before.

Atma Jaya University, which was used as a base for the
students in their protest, was deserted.

The overall peaceful situation was made more evident by the
absence of troops.

The same atmosphere was apparent at the University of
Indonesia's Salemba campus, which one of the dead victims
attended.

The campus on Jl. Salemba in Central Jakarta was void of
people, but was plastered with posters and banners condemning the
military and police over the senseless shooting.

Dozens of security personnel, however, could be seen on guard
in the vicinity of the House compound, about one kilometer from
the Sudirman area.

But their number was far fewer than on previous days.

Some motorists pulled over to the side of the road at the T-
intersection near the Jakarta Hospital on Jl. Sudirman, where a
crowd of onlookers were blindly fired upon late Friday. At least
three people were killed in the incident, including student Yap
Yun Hap of the University of Indonesia.

Motorists tried to read things written on the flower wreaths
left at the scene in memory of the victims.

A number of yellow flags, a symbol of mourning, were also
erected at the site.

The city began to return to normal on Saturday evening when
entertainment spots in various locations, such as those along Jl.
Gatot Subroto, Jl. Gajah Mada, Jl. Blora and the Blok M area,
began to show signs of life again.

Many street cafes, which have been mushrooming in the city
this year after the recession crippled the economy, were crowded
with customers in the evening.

"I am now brave enough to venture out as I don't believe there
will be riots now that the state security bill, which was
strongly opposed by the students and the public, has been
postponed by the government.

"So, insya Allah (God willing) there will be no chaos," Jumhur
Sulistyo, a visitor to a street cafe in Monas Park in Central
Jakarta, was quoted by Antara as saying.

Shops at malls, shopping centers and traditional markets also
started to get back into routine on Sunday after being fearful of
turmoil over the past three days.

Shopping malls like Plaza Indonesia and Menteng Prada and the
Sarinah department store in Central Jakarta also resumed their
activities.

Separately, several expatriates here said they had become
accustomed to tension resulting from the seemingly endless
violence in the city.

Interviewed separately on Sunday, a British man, Canadians and
a Filipino said they felt at no risk whatsoever because
foreigners were not targeted in the escalating violence in the
capital.

Canadian housewife Reinhilde Rochow felt that people should
think wisely and always prepare for the worst.

"I have prepared myself, like keeping enough food and water;
then you don't have to go out foolishly while there are problems
out there," she said.

Rochow said she had become used to the violence in Jakarta.

Another Canadian, Eric Culley, said he just kept well-informed
about developments from the Internet, friends and his embassy.

"What is needed is be careful and to watch out for any
development. I also learn more Bahasa Indonesia to get the
information easier," the consultant of a private employee said.

Private English teacher Robert from England said he did not
consider himself to be in any danger at times of violence.

"I didn't even go abroad in May last year when massive riots
hit the city. I just stayed at home. Maybe it's because I'm
unmarried, things could be different if I had wife and children,"
he said. (bsr/ind)