Police remain on the alert

Police remain on the alert

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After experiencing anti-U.S. demonstrations for five
consecutive days, the city was quiet on Saturday, with no
protesters appearing on the streets or in front of the U.S.
Embassy on Jl. Medan Merdeka in Central Jakarta.

The chairman of the Indonesian Islamic Youth Movement (GPII),
Askodar, said the group had no plans to stage any protests on
Saturday, but he declined to provide a reason. He also said there
were no definite plans yet for the group's next action.

"I don't have any information about the next demonstration as
we will meet to discuss it on Monday," he told The Jakarta Post
over the phone.

GPII has been actively involved in demonstrations to protest
the U.S. strikes against Afghanistan.

Although there was no protesters, the road in front of the
U.S. Embassy remained closed, while hundreds of police officers
were deployed in the area.

"We have to be here all the time to anticipate any unexpected
incidents," a policeman said.

Most of the officers rested inside tents around the National
Monument, near the embassy, during the day.

Some spent their time talking while others were busy doing
crossword puzzles.

And when young women passed by, one or two of the officers
would whistle or shout cewek! (girl!).

Such scenes were in contrast to what they had experienced over
the previous five days.

"We guard this place night and day. We sleep, eat and bathe
here," said Second Insp. Manurung, who has a child.

Asked if he missed his family, he said: "I am used to leaving
them for a period of days."

Meals are not a problem for the officers. They eat three times
a day. The menu does not vary much, consisting of rice,
vegetables and an egg or tahu (soybean cake) or tempe (tempeh).
Sometimes, they buy snacks from food stalls, which are plentiful
in the area.

According to Manurung, each of the officers receives pocket
money of a little less than Rp 10,000 per day, which he described
as "not bad".

They bathe at the several mobile public toilets belonging to
the city administration that are parked in the area.

Manurung's colleague, Yadi, said that they could only bathe
once a day, at the most.

"Most of us brought only one extra uniform so there might be a
smell," he laughed, adding that it was not such a big deal for
the men.

Yadi said he did not know when he could leave the site as he
had to remain there until the demonstrations were over. He did
not expect that to be soon as he had heard that there would be
another rally on Monday.