Living in Jakarta's crime-ridden jungle

Living in Jakarta's crime-ridden jungle

JAKARTA (JP): It was an early morning call which jolted me
from my slumber.

"Wake up! This is not Indonesia, this is America," said a
familiar voice from the past. It was W.W. Walker from Birmingham,
Alabama, my sponsor from my first period of study in the United
States 10 years ago.

Our conversation went on and on. "OK, then, if you are telling
me the truth that you are not in jail, I won't worry, bye," he
said finally.

What he really wanted to find out the truth of the stories
about Indonesia broadcast on CNN. He did not believe -- or
perhaps did not want to believe -- that many residential areas
have erected a fortress of fences around them, like they need
protection from what lies in the concrete jungle.

It reminded me of a funny story a friend once told me about
Jakarta. With a serious look, he asked me, "How many jails does
this city have?" Not realizing he was joking, I replied that
there were not more than five.

He responded that Jakarta was now one big jail, with people
building fences around their houses to keep out the bad guys.
Security guards are commonplace in homes, and people have even
installed video cameras for extra security.

He also told me a story about something which happened
recently to a friend of his who is a European businessman. He was
driving with an Indonesian businessman when they stopped at a
busy crossroads where police officers were directing traffic.

A policeman approached the car, and they thought he wanted to
help guide the car through traffic. Instead, the policeman told
them they had crossed the line and would have to pay him a
"fine". To avoid the hassle of arguing the point, they paid and
drove on. It was only later they concluded they were singled out
because the friend was a European businessman. They worried that
other European businesspeople would be picked on for similar
treatment.

There are so many similar tales.

A businessman from Irian Jaya told me of his experience during
a recent trip to Jakarta. He needed to visit his business
associates in the Kapuk Indah housing complex. As he neared the
complex, he had already made up his mind about what was happening
to the capital.

"My place is better than Jakarta," he said later. "We do not
need fences to protect us the from jungle even though our place
is really in the jungle, but here people try to cause trouble and
take advantage of others."

He told me of the ordeal of trying to get permission from
security personnel to enter the complex. After making detours
because of the gated entrances, he proceeded to the entrance's
main gate. He was given a grilling, with the security guards
peppering him with many complicated questions about his purpose
for visiting the area.

Eventually, they asked for money because he lacked a Jakarta
ID card.

"The situation in Jakarta is like World War II. Everybody who
passes by needs to be checked by the security personnel," he said
emotionally.

Despite all the professions and statements which leave people
feeling nothing but confused, corruption, collusion and nepotism
are still rampant. Worse still, the authorities do not seem to be
taking the security problems seriously, especially in Jakarta.

I know from my own experience about a week ago.

I was driving on a busy road in Roxy, West Jakarta, in the
late afternoon shortly after schools closed for the day. A brawl
erupted between students from rival schools, and I was unlucky
enough to be caught in the thick of things.

My friend and I felt scared but finally we were able to get
away, although my car sustained some damage from being hit by
stones thrown by the students. More disturbing was the fact that,
through it all, there were no police around.

It's not only the police's apparent absence from duty, but
that their actions are often questionable. Last month's riot in
Glodok was eerily similar to the May 1998 riots which devastated
the West Jakarta commercial area. The riot last month occurred
because the police decided to conduct a raid on vendors selling
pirated VCDs, with the vendors, angered by their approach,
fighting back.

The unrest left Jakarta residents feeling tense for days.
Businesses closed, fearing an escalation into the mass riots of
two years ago. The incident made international headlines, and
left Indonesians, especially the ethnic Chinese, needing
reassurances from the government about security.

The uncertainty drags on, and the crime rate rises. It is
commonplace to see a vehicle stopped on a street corner, its
driver shaken down for his valuables and money. Others seem to
have become indifferent to the crimes going on around them,
content to dismiss them as none of their business.

I have witnessed them myself. The driver of a jeep was robbed
last week outside Senen Railway Station, with five men taking his
cellular phone and money. There were police nearby but they
pretended not to see what was going on, too busy trying to
extract a bribe from another driver.

At the same day on Jl. Cideng, a driver was beaten by a
disabled beggar because he only gave him a cigarette. Feeling
guilty about not doing anything to help the man during the
morning robbery, I blew my car's horn, hoping the police or
bystanders would help. Instead, the beggar came over to me.
Fortunately, the matter was resolved when others intervened.

What we need is for the people and the government to join
forces to work hard and seriously to overcome the crime problems.
It is painfully clear that Jakarta is now a "city of fear" which
is in danger of descending into a wild, lawless jungle.

Is it only me who feels that all the good people in the city
have ended up in jails of their own making while the bad ones --
the corrupt, the criminals and the provocateurs -- now rule the
streets?

--Parlindungan Sibarani