Security beefed up for Chinese lunar New Year
Security beefed up for Chinese lunar New Year
SURABAYA (JP): East Java authorities are beefing up security
ahead of the celebration of Imlek Chinese New Year on Jan. 24
amid circulating rumors of renewed terrorist attacks like the
bombings on Christmas Eve last year.
"We received information from several individuals about the
possibility of riots on the eve of Imlek.
"We will be taking preventive measures and all security forces
are being put on alert," Surabaya Regional Police chief Sr. Comr.
Suharto said on Friday.
Rumors of unrest on Jan. 23 (Tuesday, the eve of Imlek) have
been circulating in the capital of East Java, Surabaya.
"We heard that possible actions of unrest such as looting,
arson or bombings will take place on the eve of Imlek," Budi
Laksono, a shop owner at Pasar Atom, one of the biggest
traditional markets in Surabaya, said.
East Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Hernantyo further said
that some 20,000 joint forces of the police and the military
along with elements of the country's largest Muslim organization
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)'s civilian task force, Banser, and the
civilian guards of PDI- Perjuangan are ready to secure the
province.
East Java is the stronghold of NU and its party, the National
Awakening Party (PKB) which was founded by NU's influential
patron President Abdurrahman Wahid.
"We've learned a lot from the previous bombing of churches in
Mojokerto on Christmas Eve. We're not dealing with politics, but
logically, the political situation could affect security
conditions in East Java as the province is the base of Gus Dur's
supporters," officer Hernantyo told The Jakarta Post by phone on
Friday.
"Together with Banser and PDI-Perjuangan civilian guards, we
will secure buddhist temples, churches, mosques and other
strategic places," he said.
Unconfirmed reports estimate that East Java hosts some 500,000
Banser civilian guards.
Meanwhile, chairman of the East Java Majelis Agama Khonghucu
Indonesia (Council of Indonesian Confucianists) Bingky Irawan
urged on Friday for all elements of the community, regardless of
their religious, racial or ethnic background to be united in the
fight against terrorism.
"We hope that security arrangements will be better this time,"
Bingky said. (edt/nur)