Nightspots closed on Heroes Day

SURABAYA: As part of efforts to respect National Heroes Day that falls on Thursday, the Surabaya city government has banned nightspots from operating for two days starting on Wednesday.

The nightspots will be allowed to reopen on Friday.

The decree came after a meeting between city government officials and nightspot owners few days ago.

"We are thinking of revoking operational licenses of those nightspots that violate the decree," said spokesman for the Surabaya administration, Juli Subijanto.

National Heroes Day has been commemorated annually since the bloody event in Surabaya on Nov. 10, 1945, when independence fighters counter-attacked the British military, who had been acting on behalf of the Dutch colonial power. While technically a victory for the colonists, it showed to the world that Indonesians were ready to fight and die for their independence. -- JP