Police assure expats of security
Police assure expats of security
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar
South Sulawesi authorities have stepped up security to protect the Japanese consulate general and expatriates in Makassar, amid the mounting anti-U.S. sentiment in the province.
Insp. Gen. Firman Gani, chief of the South Sulawesi Provincial Police, said in Makassar on Wednesday that he had instructed security personnel from the provincial police to tighten security at the Japanese consulate general and provide protection for all expatriates, including Japanese citizens, in the province.
"I have ordered police personnel to take stern actions against anarchic demonstrations or those who intimidate foreigners and damage their assets," he said after making a visit to the Japanese consulate general.
Firman explained that five companies of police personnel would be deployed to maintain security in the Japanese consulate general and dozens of others would be stationed in McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in several malls in the city.
"We will protect not only Japanese citizens but all foreigners and their assets, and shops offering products with American linked brand names," he said.
He appealed to foreign embassies not to evacuate their respective countries' citizens in the province because their safety was guaranteed.
"The security of all expatriates, including Japanese citizens, is guaranteed," he said, adding there were between 300 and 400 expatriates living in the city.
Governor Z.B. Palaguna and Firman made separate apologies to the Japanese government in relation to the violent anti-U.S. demonstration at the Japanese consulate general on Tuesday, with a pledge that the security of the consulate general and of foreigners would be under tight protection.
"I have given a promise that the police will guarantee the security of the Japanese consulate general. All expatriates should not fear because we will protect them," Palaguna said after receiving Japanese Consul General Yamashita Katsuo at his residence.
Hundreds of students and Muslim organizations staged a massive demonstration near the consulate general to protest the United States' military strikes. The demonstration turned violent when several protesters pelted stones at the consulate building and forced the consulate's staff to lower the Japanese flag and burned the American flag.
In his meeting with Firman, Yamashita clarified the decision to lower the Japanese flag during the massive anti-U.S. demonstration near the consulate general, which proceeded in the absence of security personnel on Tuesday.
"We were forced to meet protesters' demands to lower the flag out of fears of fresh anarchic actions, because there were no security personnel stationed on guard around the consulate general.
"And it was not our desire to lower our flag. We had no choice but to meet protesters' demands. The situation developed rapidly as protesters committed anarchic actions inside the diplomatic office," he said
Yamashita warned that all 133 Japanese citizens in the province would be evacuated to other countries or sent back to their home country unless the police were able to protect foreigners in the province.
"We will evacuate all our citizens unless local authorities give a security guarantee to expatriates," he said.
Meanwhile, anti-U.S. demonstration continued under tight security near the Japanese consulate general on Wednesday but protesters, mostly students, were barred from coming close to the building.