New Year's Eve passes without major incident

JAKARTA (JP): Despite dense crowds of thousands of revelers, New Year Eve's celebrations in the capital proceeded peacefully, upset only by minor disturbances.

According to the city authorities, an hour before the passing of 1998 on Thursday about 100 residents in Karang Anyar subdistrict in Central Jakarta set fire to three shacks reputed to be brothels.

"The locals wanted to express their protest against any prostitution in their area," Tongam Tambunan from the city's public order office said.

He added that only one entertainment spots was sealed off for violating the governor's order on operating hours during the Ramadhan fasting month.

"Of all the places examined during New Year's Eve, only the Dewata discotheque in the Ancol Dreamland area ran its business until 3:30 a.m."

A governor's circular states that all entertainment venues can only be open until 2 a.m. during the Muslim holy month.

At dimly lit stalls outside the Kramat Tunggak prostitution complex in North Jakarta, also temporarily closed for Ramadhan, hundreds toasted 1999 with liquor and danced to loud dangdut music.

Several prostitutes lingered on the streets or sat with customers.

The complex itself was dark and bamboo fences covered its two gates.

Sukri, a drinks vendor, said the large crowd on the night was remarkable.

Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital recorded at least two deaths and 18 others injured during the all-night festivities.

The deceased were identified as Fahri bin Benni, 23, of Jl. Sebret in Jati Padang subdistrict in South Jakarta, and Umar bin Muhdor, 35, of Kampung Gunung in Cimanggis, Bogor.

Fahri, who was admitted to the hospital at 3:20 a.m., was believed to have died of torture in South Jakarta.

Hospital sources said Umar was admitted to the intensive care unit but pronounced dead at 12:30 a.m. from severe head injuries.

He was reportedly struck by a passing colt minivan on Jl. Raya Bogor on Thursday night when he tried to avoid the blast of firecrackers set by children.

Those admitted for treatment were three people hurt by firecrackers, two stabbing victims, one teenager with a gunshot wound, one person beaten, one woman raped and the rest traffic- related injuries.

One of those hurt by fireworks, Teguh, 16, will have his right arm amputated.

His mother, Jumariah, said the accident happened when Teguh was playing with firecrackers with friends early on Friday near their residence in the Klender area of East Jakarta.

"One firecracker did not explode although the kids had lit it. Teguh grabbed this firecracker to see what was wrong and it suddenly exploded in his hand."

The shooting victim, Ahyar, 12, was hit by a pellet from a rifle as he walked along Jl. Minangkabau at Menteng Atas subdistrict in South Jakarta.

The case is still being investigated by the local police. Ahyar underwent surgery on Friday afternoon.

Unlike on many previous New Year's Eves, Jakartans were a little late in hitting the streets.

Probably in accordance with the tarawih (Ramadhan evening prayer) activities, the crowd of pedestrians along with the bumper-to-bumper traffic of private cars and motorcycles from various direction to the National Monument park, the city's landmark, recorded its peak starting from 9:30 p.m.

For years, the park has been chosen by many Jakartans as the favorite venue to mark the end of the year.

In an attempt to reach Monas and Ancol Dreamland, another popular spot for the celebration, many groups of youngsters hitchhiked a ride from passing trucks.

But a group of teenagers from Grogol, West Jakarta, mistakenly hailed a ride from a truck headed to the Tangerang area via the Kebon Jeruk-Tangerang toll road.

Others used the night as an opportunity to earn money from the sea of motorists. At several spots on the busy traffic of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. M.H. Thamrin, a group of four to five teenagers lifted concrete blocks and helped motorists make a detour for a fee.

It cannot be gauged how many liters of fuel were spent by Jakartans to mark the departure of the cheerless year of 1998 from Thursday evening to the wee hours of Friday.

On Thursday, many shop owners closed their stores for the day and many shut early at 3 p.m. Others looked for business opportunities.

"Why should we close our shop if people still need to buy our stuff?" trader Cheppy said at the Glodok business center in West Jakarta.

Most citizens wished for a more peaceful and hassle-free 1999 in the capital.

"We do not want street rallies anymore. We just want to live peacefully, the way we did before.

"We don't want to see people in uniforms filling the streets anymore. We're tired of it all," street vendor Ujang said.

Rafiq, a teenager who was enjoying chicken soup from a street trader with his mother, said he was ashamed of both university students and security forces for allowing so many deaths to occur in the past year.

"Indonesians are considered worldwide as a friendly and peace- loving people. How did they allow things to get so out of hand? It is shameful. I am ashamed of both students and security forces," Rafiq said. (ylt/jun/ivy/emf)