PPP supporters keep Jakartans off the streets

PPP supporters keep Jakartans off the streets

JAKARTA (JP): Most city residents chose to stay at home on
Sunday after thousands of United Development Party (PPP)
supporters took to the capital's streets early in the morning.

Unlike on other Sundays, main thoroughfares were almost
deserted, leaving some areas of the capital looking like ghost
towns.

At the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in the heart of Jakarta,
passersby and motorists were outnumbered by beggars and soldiers,
a sight repeated at many of the normally congested junctions in
other parts of the capital, including around the National
Monument (Monas) park and in the Kota area of West Jakarta.

Tanks and armored personnel carriers were deployed throughout
the city, but served only as temporary beds for idle groups of
soldiers and were never called into action.

Many shops, restaurants and business centers remained closed,
worsening the uneasy quiet in the city, particularly in the
afternoon.

The reason for the unease was the appearance of thousands of
PPP supporters, who were out in force in the city for the opening
of their party's congress at Senayan sports stadium in the
morning.

"The past mayhem has taught us enough lessons. It would be
stupid for us to go into Jakarta in these circumstances," said a
Chinese-Indonesian from Serpong in Tangerang.

After the ceremony, the sea of PPP supporters dispersed to all
points of the compass in private vehicles, motorcycles and buses.
No crimes were reported.

On Sunday Nov. 22, 16 people died after a clash erupted in the
Ketapang area of West Jakarta.

No rally day

Sunday Nov. 29 was the first day the capital has remained free
of student rallies for a number of weeks, although some low key
demonstrations were staged on Saturday.

Although freed from the burden of policing demonstrations,
city police were kept busy on Sunday by their efforts to trace
the whereabouts of students alleged to have abducted and beaten
Maj. Sgt. Suratman from the South Jakarta Police identification
unit at a rally on Friday.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang said three of
the alleged kidnappers had already been identified.

"But we cannot reveal further details because the matter is
still under investigation," he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

If arrested, the students will face charges of kidnapping and
assault under Articles 328 and 351 of the Criminal Code, which
carry maximum penalties of 12 years in prison and 2 years and
eight months in prison respectively.

"We already have six eye witnesses and enough evidence,"
Aritonang added.

He said the evidence included a red rope, a blue scarf stained
with blood, a black cap, a banner reading "Forkot Berduka"
(Forkot in Mourning) and three taxis.

Suratman was abducted during a rally held by the Forum Kota
(Forkot) student organization and Bandung students in front of
Jakarta Police Headquarters on Friday evening.

Students thought Suratman was a provocateur and beat him
before three of their number bundled the officer into a taxi.

"I object to being called an intel (intelligence officer). I
was there to document the event," he told the media after being
freed by his abductors in the early hours of Saturday.

Cawang campus

Suratman recalled that he was taken around the city in several
taxis.

"I was beaten along the way. I remember I was taken to a
campus in Cawang (East Jakarta) and then to some kind of rented
house.

"They ripped my shirt and took my badge, wallet and
wristwatch. I told them I was a police officer, but they keep on
beating me," the officer said.

Suratman was eventually abandoned on a street opposite a
university near the entrance to the Jagorawi toll road in Cawang,
East Jakarta.

City Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman commented:
"I'm very concerned about this. It's clear that we'll have to
take firm action on this matter.

"He (Suratman) is a member of the law enforcement agencies.
Students have to remember that police are there (at the
demonstrations) to secure the situation and protect the
students."

Some of the protesting students claimed the officer had been
abducted for his own safety.

"We tried to protect him from angry students. I was punched by
one of the crowd.

"The officer said he was a journalist but was unable to show
his identification card. That triggered the beating," Forkot's
Anton Buarlela said.

Adian Napitupulu from Forkot was of the same opinion.

"I know the beating was wrong, but he was asking for trouble
by lying to us. You know that students hate intel and that angry
crowds are hard to control," Adian said. (bsr/edt)