Protesters occupy City Hall, demand nightclubs be closed

Protesters occupy City Hall, demand nightclubs be closed

JAKARTA (JP): Some 4,000 activists from the Islamic Defenders
Front (FPI) broke into and occupied on Monday Jakarta's City
Hall, paralyzing city administration activities for the whole
day.

The move forced Governor Sutiyoso and top city administration
officials to transfer their activities to the nearby Central
Jakarta mayoral office on Jl. Tanah Abang I in Central Jakarta.

Most city administration employees were prevented from
entering the complex on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan and performing
their duties after their weekend break.

"The purpose of our action is to ensure Governor Sutiyoso
issues a ruling on the closing of all entertainment centers
during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan," said FPI
coordinator Muhsin Alattas.

FPI also demanded Sutiyoso revoke bylaw No. 48/1999, which
allows nightlife spots to operate during Ramadhan. The regulation
limits the operating hours of entertainment venues.

"The operating limitation is not sufficient. We want a one-
month closure, plus the first seven days of Syawal (the month
after Ramadhan)," Muhsin said.

He said venues such as discotheques, movie theaters, pubs, and
restaurants must close down during Ramadhan.

"Sutiyoso must resign if he fails to meet our demands," he
said.

Muhsin, however, dismissed speculation that the FPI's demand
was politically motivated. "It's purely to maintain the holiness
of Ramadhan."

It was unclear how the FPI activists managed to penetrate the
area, as City Hall is included in the capital's tightly secured
National Monument Square (Monas) area. The Merdeka Selatan vice
presidential palace is located next to City Hall.

Central Jakarta Police chief of operational control command
Maj. Ricky F. Wakanno said the FPI activists broke into the City
Hall complex at about 5 a.m.

"We prepared some 400 police officers around City Hall to drag
the FPI activists out of the complex, but Jakarta Police chief
Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman ordered us to use a persuasive
approach," he said.

A security officer from the building said the FPI activists
had earlier asked permission from security guards to perform
their subuh (dawn) prayer.

"We didn't think that they wanted to occupy the whole
complex," said the officer, who requested anonymity.

Attention

FPI public relations officer Slamet Maarif said the action was
taken to draw the city administration's attention to their
concern.

"On several occasions we have asked to meet with Sutiyoso to
deliver our aspiration," said Slamet. "The governor was very
arrogant and didn't want to meet us."

Wearing traditional Muslim garb and long green scarfs, FPI
activists blocked all City Hall entrances, preventing city
employees from entering the complex. Some of the activists
carried wooden sticks and stood guard at the entrance gates.

City police chief Noegroho Djajoesman, who arrived at the
scene at 10:30 a.m., asked the protesters to let the employees
enter the complex so that they could go to work.

"Please consider that the city administration public service
might stop if the employees are not allowed to enter," he said
while negotiating with Muhsin.

Muhsin said FPI would let the employees in "after Governor
Sutiyoso closed all 'vice' venues during Ramadhan".

Noegroho then asked Muhsin to guarantee the governor's safety
before allowing Sutiyoso to meet with the protesters.

The FPI had prepared a written statement to be signed by six
city authorities, including the governor and police chief. But
Sutiyoso declined to sign the document and instead signed a piece
of paper with the city administration letter head. The statement
declared that he shared the FPI's vision to close down nightlife
venues during Ramadhan.

Sutiyoso renewed his vision to reporters after the three-hour
meeting with FPI.

"I also invited FPI to work hand in hand with the city
administration to monitor all nightlife spots," he said.

"I agree with their demand and will take it into
consideration," Sutiyoso said, adding that he had asked the
protesters for a three-day deadline to review the 1999 bylaw.

Rp 3b lost

City administration spokesman Muhayat said the FPI action had
delayed city administration payments worth some Rp 3 billion
(US$416,000).

"We can't say the city suffered a loss. It's only a delayed
payment.

"The most important thing is that city residents were unable
to have any services today," he said.

Muhayat said the FPI demand was unrealistic.

"How can they ask the city administration to close a
restaurant or a movie theater?"

After meeting the governor, the FPI delegation moved on to the
city council building to deliver the same demand.

Chief of Gambir Police subprecinct Maj. Slamet Rijanto said
many of the protesters remained in the building complex until the
evening meal, which marked Monday's breaking of the fast.

"They left immediately after the evening meal," Slamet told
The Jakarta Post. (05/01)