Military to continue `Operation Cleansing'

Military to continue `Operation Cleansing'

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen.
Hendropriyono said the ongoing Operation Cleansing will continue
uninterrupted even if he is no longer in office.

"As long as the situation is still prone to disturbances,
Operation Cleansing will be continued by my successor, whoever he
is," Hendro was quoted by Media Indonesia as saying over the
weekend.

The two-star general was speaking during a discourse on "how
to enhance stability in the era of openness" with the employees
of the PT Toyota Astra Motor automobile company.

The employees hailed Operasi Bersih as very effective in
suppressing the crime rate but expressed their anxiety that the
operation would be stopped if he is transferred to another post.

Hendro admitted that such a big operation, which requires a
huge amount of funds and a great number of personnel and
facilities, would surely have to end someday

He gave his assurance, however, that as long as various
threats to law and order prevail the operation would be
continued.

He explained that the operation was launched by Bakorstanasda
(the city chapter of the Agency for Coordination of Support for
National Stability) on April 11 because the crime rate had
reached and alarming level, including the increasing frequency of
student brawls in the city.

In its initial stage, the operation focussed on seizing
illegally sold alcoholic drinks and sharp weapons and firearms
carried by civilians in public.

As of May 31, the operation had captured 1,500 people,
consisting of drunkards and criminals, and seized 600,000 bottles
of drink, 500 sharp weapons, a dozen of firearms and
approximately 4 million pills of banned drugs.

Later the operation extended its focus to "daredevil racers",
youngsters driving cars and motorcycles recklessly at night,
gamblers and apparently demonstrations considered detrimental to
national stability.

The operation, which initially had 16,000 personnel, now has
46,000 personnel recruited from the army, navy, air force and
police force.

Pagers

"The Jakarta military command also deploys another 2,000
officers equipped with pagers to patrol the city on bike around
the clock," said Hendro.

These patrolmen, he said, can be called by anyone who needs
help. Their pager numbers, written on stickers, have been spread
throughout the city, many stuck public phone booths.

Hendro, however, regretted that the reporting-via-pager scheme
is still far from popular.

"I urge the public not to be reluctant to make pager calls
anytime they feel they are in danger or see suspicious things. I
guarantee the officers will quickly come to their rescue," he
said.

Present on Friday's discourse were President Director of the
PT Toyota Astra Motor company Rudiyanto Hardjanto, the
intelligence assistant to the Jakarta Military Command, Col.
Zacky Anwar, the territorial assistant of the Jakarta Military
Command, Col. Syahrir MS, and North Jakarta military commander
Lt. Col. Makmursyah. (jsk)