People on the move to escape riots

People on the move to escape riots

By I. Christianto

JAKARTA (JP): Civil unrest as a result of economic and
political crisis has become a major concern of most people in the
country in recent months. And many people have become nervous
about campaign activities, which start today (May 19) and will
last until June 4.

Political transformation is on the way: the campaigns will be
followed by a legislative election on June 7 and the appointment
of a president in September. Political rivalry is intense,
heightened with the participation of 48 political parties.

Sporadic violence has occurred in several parts of the
country, including Central Java and Bali. Since March, at least
10 people have been killed and over 50 seriously injured in
clashes among party supporters while scores of houses have been
damaged and hundreds of vehicles set on fire.

There is no sign the tension will die down even though parties
have pledged to carry out peaceful campaign activities and
hundreds of thousands of police officers and civilian militia
members are to be deployed during the election. Even chairman of
the General Elections Commission Rudini acknowledged that the
body has prepared strategies in case the election fails.

It is expected that Indonesia is to have the first free and
fair election in over three decades. Ironically, instead of being
excited, many people worry about security.

The government has called on people to stay calm and has
pledged to maintain security and order. Yet many foreigners and
Indonesians, particularly the Chinese-Indonesians, have
reportedly left the country for fear of riots that might break
out during the campaign activities and electoral process.

International airlines and travel agents have reported an
increased number of bookings for flights out of Indonesia this
month.

Robi, an executive of a private company, says that there is
nothing wrong about going abroad for a while.

"We have to look for a safe place, but we'll return home after
three or four months," he said last week before leaving for
Malaysia.

He said that even though he is an indigenous Indonesian, he
has to be careful about the safety of his wife and parents-in-
law.

Another executive, Gary, said that he wished to go overseas if
he had enough money.

"In my opinion, going abroad temporarily is just for security
reasons, but I'd still vote in the election," he said.

A garment producer and shop owner in Mangga Dua shopping
center, Lily, said she was desperate with the current condition.

"Due to slow demand, production has decreased by up to 70
percent in the last two months. However, I am not scared to
continue opening my shop as the security is quite good in Mangga
Dua," she said.

She added she did not have any plans to go abroad because she
has two children who are still too young to travel far.

For some people, going abroad is the answer to the recent
unrest. Some others may wonder what to expect from a country with
daily violence. Many are still haunted by riots in May last year
when more then 1,000 people were killed and hundreds of buildings
burned and damaged.

A wave of student protests last year led to the riots in
Jakarta and forced Soeharto to step down after 32 years in power.
Religious and ethnic violence has increased dramatically since
the former president's downfall. Several analysts would agree
that events in Indonesia were equally horrible in nature with
those that have occurred in Kosovo.

The United States has cautioned Americans about visiting
Indonesia before the election because of unrest related to an
unstable political and economic situation.

Australia has also issued a general alert to Australians in
Indonesia, saying that public security in Indonesia was entering
a time of heightened risk for the next five to six months.

Other countries, including Belgium, Britain, Canada, Japan,
Switzerland and Thailand have also issued travel advisories in
relation to campaign activities from May 19 through June 4 and
the election date.

Meanwhile, various housing complexes, shopping centers and
office buildings have installed nets to anticipate possible riots
or at least stones thrown by party supporters.

Those include the Mangga Dua, ITC Roxy Mas, Citraland, Atrium
Senen, Puri Indah shopping centers and several banks. Even the
U.S. Embassy has placed barbed wire barricades along the southern
side of Jl. Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta.

Acung, a trader representative at Mangga Dua shopping center,
said that the surrounding nets installed for the center were
semi-permanent.

"They will be removed soon after the condition is safe," he
said.

He said traders at the center would run their business as
usual during the campaign period and on election day.