More young people call for 'war'

More young people call for 'war'

JAKARTA (JP): People have been calling for peace all over the
world but for some youngsters war can be a perfect antidote for
stress release. Wars in Jakarta? Don't panic -- this is not a
real war.

It is all just a game, and instead of bullets paint is the
only ammunition used, with victims becoming brightly colored
after a direct hit. However, the bullet can be harmful if it
strikes a target within five-meters range.

The excitement not only lies in the solidarity formed while
reaching a shared goal, there may be an instinctive pleasure in
injuring one another in such a whimsical way.

The game is organized by Brigade 3234 battle simulation arena
in Gunung Putri and in Rancamaya housing complex in Ciawi, both
in Bogor, and by Patriot arena at Alam Sutra housing complex in
Serpong, Tangerang.

The game operators can also be found in four other places
across Indonesia: in Bali, Surabaya and Malang in East Java, and
Batam island.

When The Jakarta Post visited Brigade 3234 at Gunung Putri
area recently, several groups of young people -- mostly
university students -- lined up for their turn to play in the
four fields available at the venue.

A group has 40 minutes to play two games, which last for 20
minutes each, and are divided by a 15-minute break.

Each group receives a short briefing from the supervisors of
the battle. They may choose two of four games which include
seizing a flag, occupying the enemy's castles while defending
their own, escorting VIPs or the predator game. The operator also
provides an indoor field to play close-quarter combat.

"I find the war game exciting. I have played another
simulation in Rancamaya area and I like this game," said Lala, a
student at the School of Political and Social Sciences at the
University of Indonesia.

Lala came with another female companion and eight male
friends. The group chooses to play the flag seizure simulation,
and Lala was shot at close range near her throat by her boyfriend
during the first match.

"Luckily I was allowed to return to the battlefield. I shot
back repeatedly at my boyfriend out of revenge for his barrage. I
managed to paint his head," she said proudly.

Participants who are shot in less than five minutes after the
game starts are allowed to return to the battlefield. If any of
them are painted after the first five minutes, he or she must
leave the battlefield and can later participate in the second
match.

Earlier, a group of 12 children with two adults also played on
the battle ground.

"It's exciting. You have the chance to hurt your children,"
said Alastair Fenwick of Kenya with a laugh. Fenwick said that
his son was celebrating his birthday at the Brigade.

Fenwick's American colleague, Bob Siebert said: "It's fun
because it requires a lot of exercise and it is also a little bit
scary."

Both parents and children had repeatedly visited the Brigade.
"Last time, my wife and my daughter also joined the war game. The
first time my daughter got shot, she cried. But after that she
enjoyed it and wanted to play again," Siebert said.

The Brigade's Assistant Manager, Greg Norman, told the Post
that the company offered special packages for students, besides
party packages and an outbound service.

"From Tuesday to Friday, students get a 25 percent discount.
They also get free soft drinks and unlimited time for games. We
accommodate a maximum of 100 visitors every day."

The party package is designed for a group who wish to hold a
special program. The package offers various facilities including
a private area, a set menu, a sound system, an event organizer
and artists.

"Companies can also ask for the outbound service where they
can kick off management training with war games, spider web and
wall climbing," he said.

The battle simulation was launched on Oct. 25, 1996, and
occupied a 2.5-hectare area at Jl. Gunung Putri Utama II.

It has since gained popularity, especially among young
executives who take the opportunity to escape their office
routine and have some fun. Speaking on the economic turmoil which
hit the country in 1997, Norman said that the operator was also
affected by the crisis.

"The number of visitors has increased gradually since the
economy began to bounce back. In November this year, about 1,000
people played in these grounds, most of them are young people.
That's the highest figure this year," he said.

'Vietnam war'

On the four hectare venue operated by the Patriot battle
simulation company, participants can play a Vietnam-like war game
at its Jungle-Jungle, Hamburger Hill or Terminator fields.

Patriot also offers similar packages to those of Brigade.

Patriot's General Manager Dharmayanto Rawatan said his
visitors are mostly middle and upper class, and aged between 25
and 40 years old.

"They don't only come from the housing complexes nearby but
also from Jakarta," he said.

Dharmayanto said that the organization offered 30 percent
discounts from Monday to Friday.

"At weekends, we give a 20 percent discount to a group of more
than 30 people and 30 percent to groups of 50 people," he said,
adding that there were less women who joined in the war games at
Patriot.

The 40-minute wars at Brigade cost Rp 77,000/person and Rp
65,000/person at Patriot.

Patriot offers its customers military attire, .68mm caliber
semi-automatic guns and 20 bullets. An additional 20 bullets can
be purchased for Rp 15,000.

Brigade provides 30 bullets as a starter and participants
must pay Rp 27,500 for an additional 50 bullets.

Patriot's success in the paintball game convinced PT Lintas
Jeram Nusantara, the operator of Arus Liar rafting at the Citarik
river in Sukabumi, to introduce the program at its site in 1999.

"We offer paintball games in our Citarik one-stop adventure
program, where people can choose two out of four games: rafting,
paintball, offroad and trekking. We call this a two-in-one
program," said Amalia Yunita, the company's vice president.

"We wanted to make a site comprising adventure games. We
already had the rafting program here, but we wanted something
new. So we created the 2-in-1 program."

The paintball game costs Rp 76,000/person including military
attire, guns and bullets.

"But when you choose the two-in-one program, you only have to
pay Rp 135,000/person, which includes the sporting equipment,
lunch, an insurance fee, a certificate and an instructor," she
said, adding that most visitors at Citarik are young executives
from Jakarta. (ivy)