Operation Cleansing makes residents feel secure

Operation Cleansing makes residents feel secure

JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Maphar subdistrict in Taman Sari,
West Jakarta, feel more secure since the launching of the
military-backed anti-crime drive Operasi Bersih (Operation
Cleansing) earlier this month.

"It's much calmer now. Last month, when the operation was not
launched yet, almost every night and day youngsters got drunk
along the roads," said Abdul Madjid of Jl. Kebon Jeruk XIII in
Maphar subdistrict.

Madjid was among the people witnessing the Operation Cleansing
team confiscate thousands of bottles of alcoholic drinks from the
Surya and Maju shops on Jl. Kebon Jeruk late last week.

He noted that liquor was relatively cheap and very easy to get
in his area, prompting many students to go on drinking sprees.

Liong Tjong Hua, the owner of Surya shop, said the prices of
the alcoholic beverages he sells range from Rp 1,600 (US$76) to
Rp 3,000. He confirmed that most of his customers are youngsters.

The anti-crime operation, which commenced on March 11,
involves personnel from the Police Force, the Army, the Marine
Corps and the Air Force, as well as security officers from the
Jakarta, Tangerang and Bekasi administrations.

Sugianto, who lives on Jl. Kebon Jeruk V and was on hand
during the raids on the shops, said that he was happy with the
operation, which he considers successful in ridding the area of
hoodlums.

"Almost every day I heard about disturbances in different
parts of the district. But since the operation was launched, I
feel secure to walk everywhere, even at night," Sugianto, a
migrant from Surakarta, Central Java, said.

Sugianto said brawls between youths are very common incidents
in the area, which is the site of the state-run STM VII Technical
High School, whose students are notorious for instigating
clashes.

He said the most anxious moments for him are when brawls break
out when his children are not home from school yet.

"I have only two children and both go to quite distant
schools. Any time I hear of a brawl, I contact their schools
directly. But, if they are already on their way home, I can't do
anything but wait for them nervously," Sugianto said.

Lt. Col. I.P. Sisworo, commander of the West Jakarta military
district command, told The Jakarta Post that the responsibility
for the security in the Taman Sari area is inherent in the
security system used for every subdistrict.

The system involves Mitra Babinsa, civilians who support
subdistrict security, and Bakor Konwil, civilians who support
district communication.

Capt. Sudarno, the commander of the Taman Sari military ward-
level headquarters, said the Mitra Babinsa and Bakor Konwil are
fully self-reliant in terms of funding.

"We just coordinate them," he said.

J. Pohan, coordinator of the Taman Sari Mitra Babinsa and
Bakor Konwil, said he had collected funds to build a number of
sentry posts, each of which costs more than Rp 5 million
(US$2,380).

To support the routine budget, every member of Mitra Babinsa
and Bakor Konwil, a number of whom are people of Chinese descent,
voluntarily send in money and take care of their own needs, such
as uniforms, walkie-talkies and their own meals.

"Even for a pack of cigarettes, we have to buy them on our
own. But it doesn't matter at all because we love it," Pohan
said. (11)