Jakarta tightens security at Thai interest
Jakarta tightens security at Thai interest
Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Following the deadly protest that claimed 85 Muslims in Tak Bai
in Narathiwat province in southern Thailand on Monday and a rally
at the Thai Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday, the Indonesian
government has taken precautionary measures by reinforcing
security at the Thai Embassy and other premises, including its
business interests in Jakarta.
Thailand's foreign affairs ministry made this request through
Indonesia's ambassador in Bangkok, who paid a visit to the
ministry personally to convey Jakarta's concern over the
incident, Indonesia's foreign affairs ministry spokesman Marty
Natalegawa said on Friday.
He said that the government itself also took initiative in
securing the Thai Embassy in Jakarta following the incident.
"After the incident, we have taken some anticipative measures.
The Thai foreign ministry has also asked our government --
through our ambassador -- to beef up security on Thai premises,"
he said.
The Thai Embassy in Jakarta confirmed that additional police
forces have been safeguarding the embassy compound in Central
Jakarta and the ambassador's residence in South Jakarta since
Wednesday.
"Other Thai interests, restaurants and business premises are
frequently being patrolled these days," a diplomat at the embassy
told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
"This is normal procedure. If there is a situation and the
host country is informed, then the latter can provide us with
additional security," the diplomat said.
The embassy has been advised of the possibility of
demonstrations.
"We believe the number of police officers deployed is
sufficient at this point. However, the number of officers depends
on the day's events and the site," the diplomat said without
giving the number of forces already stationed at the embassy and
the ambassador's residence.
A demonstration outside the Tak Bai police station on Monday
turned ugly when thousands of protesters clashed with security
officials. Six people were shot to death on the site.
The protesters demanded unconditional release of six village
defense volunteers who were arrested under suspicion of giving
government-issued weapons to Islamic militants.
About 1,300 protesters were arrested and sent to a military
camp in the neighboring province of Pattani on the same day.
Seventy-eight of them died during the trip, and autopsies showed
they mostly died of suffocation. The others were probably crushed
and broke their necks when they were crammed into the trucks. One
of the protesters died in a hospital on Tuesday, topping the
number of casualties to 85.
No bullet wounds were found on the deceased bodies, but
bruises and small cuts were on their faces.
This incident and the subsequent remark from Prime Minister
Thaksin Sinawatra on Monday -- that the 78 people were weak
because of fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan, thus
disaffirming the improper handling of protesters by security
officers -- has sparked anger among Muslims around the world,
including in Indonesia.
The incident generated sporadic violence in southern Thailand.
Thaksin recently set up a special committee to probe the matter.
Marty said that Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda has
called his Thai counterpart Surakiart Sathirathai on Thursday
evening to express Indonesia's government concern over the
violence. However, details of the phone conversation was not
available.
Marty, who is also the ministry's director general for
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also said that
Indonesia would closely monitor the developments in Thailand.
"We have earlier voiced our concern and our wish that the Thai
government could carry on with the investigation and bring the
perpetrators to justice," he told reporters.
"Moreover, the Thai government seemed to realize that this
incident has became a worldwide concern."