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)