Security threat puts police, govt on high alert

JAKARTA (JP): In anticipation of a worsening level of security in the capital, the city administration has instructed its personnel to stay on high alert and the city police have prepared contingency plans to safeguard foreign embassies.

Speaking before 65 districts and 265 subdistrict heads at City Hall on Thursday, Governor Sutiyoso said: "I order you to stay on high alert around the clock."

Sutiyoso described the security situation in the capital as normal and rejected any possibility of imposing a state of civil emergency.

Meanwhile, the city police briefed 200 representatives of 94 foreign countries and international organizations on Thursday about the security arrangement for the capital.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob promised that his force would provide special security for embassies and diplomats should the situation in the capital deteriorate.

"Tight security measures will be taken around embassies here and the residences of top embassy officials. The police have prepared special strategies should the security situation take a turn for the worse," Sofjan said.

Rumors circulating in the city indicate that the city police have prepared contingency plans for foreigners, which would reportedly take them to a safe area or Soekarno-Hatta International Airport should the security situation worsen here.

Sofjan refused to confirm the rumors.

The security situation in the capital, especially leading up to the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly, has become a major concern for many residents, especially expatriates.

A number of embassies here, however, claim that they have not made any special preparations in anticipation of a possible worsening of the level of security.

"The U.S. Embassy has yet to make any special arrangements," John Vance, the deputy of the press attache of the U.S. Embassy, told The Jakarta Post by phone on Thursday.

He also noted that he had not heard of any discussions on it at the embassy so far.

The Dutch Embassy, through a third party, reportedly booked a plane for Dutch nationals should violence occur during the special session, but an officer at the embassy denied it.

"We did not book any plane so far. Where did you get the news from?" asked the officer, who requested anonymity.

Shigea Aoyama, the director of information and culture at the Japanese Embassy, said his embassy had not planned anything as of yet.

"The Japanese Embassy is not a target of violence here, so we have made no plans," he said.

Sofyan told foreign diplomats to stay calm as the city police would deploy its maximum force should the security situation deteriorate before or during the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly, slated to begin on Aug. 1.

"Rest assured, there will be some 42,000 security personnel, both police and military on high alert, and nearly 5,600 officers stationed around the Assembly building in Senayan," Sofjan said.

Sofjan added that about 100 marksmen had been deployed around the legislative building complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, in anticipation of the worst possible security situation.

City residents, on the other hand, did not seem bothered by possible security disturbances in the capital.

Netty Iswargia, an employee of a private company on Jl. MH Thamrin, said that although violence could occur, she was not too worried about it.

"I have adapted to the unpredictable situation here. If it gets scary on the streets, I just won't leave home," she said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, Medi, a street vendor at a bus stop on Jl. Sudirman, blamed the political elite for the worsening security situation in the capital.

"The political elite can do anything they want as long as they don't bother people like me," he said. (ylt/jun/04)