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)