Police clear streets of demonstrators

Anyone planning to exercise their democratic rights by staging rallies along Jakarta's main roads during the Asian-African Summit should think again as the police have orders to send them packing straightaway.

Several groups of would-be protesters, including members of the Indonesian Farmers Federation, the Anti-Debt Coalition and the Jakarta Workers Association, tried on Thursday to stage demonstrations at the famous Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, Central Jakarta, but were dispersed by the police within five minutes.

Less than 10 minutes after the police dispersed them, a number of convoys carrying summit delegates passed along the road.

"We had just arrived, and we didn't even have a chance to do anything. They simply want to impress the summit delegates, and make them think that Jakarta is a peaceful city with no demonstrations," Wahyu, a leader of the rally, told The Jakarta Post.

A police officer said that they could not risk the possibility of the protesters "spoiling the peaceful summit".

"We have orders to disperse any demonstrations, especially along main roads. If we were to let the protesters stay there, chaos could break out," he said. --JP