Rally causes traffic jams

JAKARTA: A demonstration over disputed land held by about 1,000 members of the Native Jakartan Brotherhood Forum (FBR) caused traffic jams for hours along Jl. Jend. Sudirman on Wednesday.

The protesters closed all access to the complex housing the Sona Topas Tower and Bank Permata building on the road in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, preventing employees of offices renting the buildings from entering the premises until 11 a.m.

"The rally caused me to arrive an hour late at my office as the protesters, who came in several buses, cars and motorcycles, took up most of the slow lane," said Maria, 30, who works for a financial company at the Jakarta Stock Exchange on Jl. Sudirman.

With the road jammed to a standstill, the situation was exacerbated by the absence of police, who failed to show up to reroute the traffic. Access to some of the fast lanes had earlier been closed with removable barriers.--JP