Military offers help on demos
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) offered on Saturday to help police deal with anti-U.S. demonstrations, while threats by radical groups to force Americans to leave the country have reportedly taken their toll on Jakarta hotels.
"If the police ask for help, TNI is ready," TNI Chief Admiral Widodo AS said in Denpasar, Bali.
Widodo's statement came a day after the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pledged to take firm action against people threatening foreigners.
Anti-U.S. demonstrations have been held in major cities across Indonesia every day since Washington issued a threat to strike any country sponsoring terrorists linked to the attack in the U.S. on Sept. 11.
No demonstrations were reported on Saturday and the U.S. embassy, the scene of massive demonstrations in Jakarta over recent days, was unusually quiet and maintained tight security.
Local radical groups' threats to conduct a sweep for American citizens has prompted the U.S. State Department to renew its travel warning for Indonesia. The warning, combined with the daily protests, appears to have concerned many foreigners.
Hotel operators on Jl. Jaksa in Central Jakarta, a popular accommodation precinct for backpackers', reported a significant drop in Western tourist arrivals since the escalation of anti- American protests in the capital.
"Twenty Americans have checked out of our hotel and none have checked in since the threats," said Bambang Permana from the Tator hotel.
The same trend was reported by Hotel Karya.
"Most of those who rushed out were American nationals, but there were also some Britons and Australians," the hotel's receptionist, Aji, told The Jakarta Post.
Patricia Murphy, a Canadian tourist having lunch at a restaurant in the street, said that she had no plans to cut short her trip, while admitting that she is concerned about the movement.
"They haven't raided this area so far and I hope they would refrain from doing so... I like staying here," Murphy said.
After promising on Friday to provide maximum security for foreign nationals, Jakarta City Police deployed five battalions of Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers on Saturday.
Deputy city police chief Brig. Gen. Makbul Padmanegara said that the elite squad was ready for action at any time.
Makbul said that in the future police would take action against those who burnt the flag of any nation. Article 142a of the Indonesian Criminal Code mandates four years of imprisonment for perpetrators, he said. (zen/28/06)