Military offers help on demos

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)