Police vow to protect MPR session
Damar Harsanto and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor
The police have deployed personnel to safeguard the upcoming Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which is likely to be the catalyst for a large number of demonstrations.
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam told The Jakarta Post that thus far there were 12 mass organizations that had given notice of their intention to stage rallies during the session, including the hard-line Islam Defenders Front, the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI) and the Justice Party.
"However, our intelligence unit has reported that more than 25 mass organizations have planned to take to the streets," said Anton.
He said the demonstrators would only be allowed to stage rallies outside the MPR compound.
"Our personnel are ready to ensure the security of MPR members, who will be arriving (from outside the city) on Wednesday," he said.
Jakarta Police have deployed 5,800 personnel, and have 25,000 more military and police in reserve, he said.
Meanwhile, Bogor Police will deploy two-thirds of their 3,200 officers to provide security for the upcoming Annual Session.
Bogor Police chief Sr. Comr. Nanan Soekarna said his officers, including members of the bomb squad, riot police and the Mobile Brigade, also would stand guard at six separate locations to monitor the flow of vehicles arriving coming from West Java and heading to Jakarta.
He said suspicious vehicles would be stopped and checked at the tollgates by officers.
The six locations are Jl. Parung, Jl. Raya Cibinong-Jakarta, the Jagorawi tollgate at Gadog, Jl. Raya Jasinga-Banten, Jl. Raya Sukabumi-Bayah and Jl. Bypass Cianjur-Puncak-Bogor. The police will also monitor vehicles on Jl. Raya Citeureup-Bekasi.
"We shall deal firmly with any troublemakers," Nanan said.
The Annual Session will run from Aug. 1 through Aug. 10. More than 38,000 police are being deployed to safeguard the session. The operation will last 25 days, at a total cost of about Rp 4 billion, to be spent primarily on allowances for the daily needs of the personnel involved.