Military reassures foreigners about personal safety
Military reassures foreigners about personal safety
JAKARTA (JP): City Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie
Sjamsoeddin has guaranteed the security of foreigners living and
working in the capital.
"I can assure foreigners not to worry about staying in Jakarta
because we will continue taking responsibility for their
security," Sjafrie told reporters Saturday.
The Jakarta authorities have also been "pretty sure that this
city is still safe and under control," Sjafrie said after
attending the last day of the massive three-day military exercise
to demonstrate the security forces' readiness to safeguard next
month's general session of the People's Consultative Assembly.
During the general session starting on March 1, the 1,000-
member Assembly will meet to elect a president and approve the
broad government policy outlines for the next five years.
Several foreign embassies in Jakarta, worried about the
country's major economic woes and soaring unemployment which, in
turn, could spark social unrest, have reportedly issued
contingency plans for the safety of their respective citizens.
However, the move was seen by Foreign Minister Ali Alatas last
month as an understandable emergency step.
Many expatriates have already left Indonesia. But this is seen
as more due to the financial inability of local companies to hire
them than because the individuals were worried about the
capital's security.
Sjafrie said foreigners and locals alike should therefore
continue their routine activities without worrying about security
and not to believe groundless rumors.
"Rumors and provocation can only spark public misery,"
reminded Sjafrie, who is also head of the Jakarta chapter of the
Coordinating Board for National Stability.
Twenty-five thousand personnel from all four branches of the
Armed Forces took part in the Saturday morning exercise led by
Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung at the Senayan East
Parking Lot in Central Jakarta.
The three-day display of military muscle in the capital has
been seen by many as a clear warning to people not to attempt to
disrupt the Assembly's meeting.
The security authorities have been on alert to crack down on
disturbances as a result of the ongoing economic crisis, which
has seen skyrocketing unemployment and prices of goods and
services in many cities, including Jakarta.
City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata, who also attended the
weekend's drill, reminded non-Jakartans who might be attempting
to spark disorder in the capital to halt their plans.
"We have cooperated with police from the neighboring regions,
such as West Java, Central Java and Lampung to monitor the influx
of people heading to Jakarta.
"Therefore, non-Jakarta residents who have nothing to do in
this city, particularly if they just intend to cause chaos,
please do not come to the capital," Hamami told reporters.
Sjafrie said his personnel have also been deployed in certain
places in neighboring provinces to help local residents monitor
suspicious groups in their districts. (bsr/jun)