Shops, malls and offices resume normal activities

Shops, malls and offices resume normal activities

JAKARTA (JP): Most major business districts and office
complexes returned to work as normal in the past two days after
remaining closed at the weekend after violent clashes broke out
between the security forces and antigovernment protesters late
last week.

Shops, banks and offices along the main thoroughfares of Jl.
M.H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta and Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta
reopened on Monday for the first time since 15 people died in the
clashes which marked the end of the Special Session of the
People's Consultative Assembly.

Tineke Indrajaya, an employee of PT Mitsui Export Indonesia in
the Nusantara Building on Jl. Thamrin, said that most offices in
the area reopened on Monday.

"Most of the offices, banks and shops had been closed since
Friday. Many employees were sent home at midday that day," she
said.

"My company reopened on Monday. I think the management were
confident that nothing bad would happen today," she said.

"The only problem was that we found it difficult to find
anywhere selling food. Perhaps they all thought the offices would
still be closed," Tineke said.

On Tuesday most business centers were closed, but in
observance of the Ascension Day of Prophet Muhammad (Isra Mi'raj)
and not because of security fears.

But shopping centers throughout the city were busy again with
crowds of visitors, keen to enjoy the holiday after several days
of tension.

Such scenes were visible along Jl. Matraman, Jl. Salemba, Jl.
Kramat Raya and Jl. Gunung Sahari in Central Jakarta and Jl.
Gajah Mada and Jl. Hayam Wuruk in West Jakarta.

Atrium Mall and Planet Senen shopping centers in Central
Jakarta already reopened on Monday, only two days after they were
broken into by looters during Saturday's rioting.

"We are deeply grateful to the marines who managed to calm
down the angry mob and stop them from looting," said Rudi, who
owns a shop in Planet Senen.

Strategic spots

Several marines were stationed at strategic locations in the
area on Monday, with reinforcements not far away. Most, however,
returned to barracks the following day.

Shops in the Jatinegara area of East Jakarta also reopened.
They closed on Saturday after thousands of people vandalized an
East Jakarta police station on Saturday in a show of anger at the
shooting dead of demonstrators the day before.

Shops and shopping centers in South Jakarta, including
Pasaraya, Blok M Mall and Blok M Plaza also reopened.

There was also heavy traffic on parts of Jl. Hayam Wuruk and
Jl. Gajah Mada.

Streets around the National Monument (Monas) park and the
State Palace on Jl. Merdeka Selatan were open, but still guarded
by armored vehicles.

Streets leading to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
building were open in the morning, but closed in the afternoon. A
heavy security presence was still in place in the area.

Hundreds of students gathered at Atma Jaya University on Jl.
Jend. Sudirman on Monday and handed out flowers to passing
motorists. Dozens of wreaths bearing messages of condolence were
laid at the university's front gate.

A 300-meter-long white banner was laid along the pavement on
which passersby wrote messages of condolence.

Syaiful Anom, 26, was apprehended by students for extorting
money from passing motorists after handing them flowers stolen
from the wreaths.

The students seized a machete from the man before handing him
over to two marine officers.

At least 1,000 students from Trisakti University, the
University of Indonesia, Tarumanegara University and Jayabaya
University held a free speech forum at the Trisakti campus on Jl.
Kyai Tapa in West Jakarta on Monday.

The students chanted slogans against former president Soeharto
and Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto. They also
demanded Wiranto take responsibility for the tragic incident at
Semanggi and called for the Armed Forces to leave politics.

Business went on as usual in Bogor and Tangerang on Monday.
Bogor was largely unaffected by last week's unrest, but the
situation in Tangerang had been very tense, with residents
fearing a westward expansion of Saturday's rioting in Jakarta.

At least 200 students from Kesatuan Management Academy in
Bogor occupied the studios of the state-owned radio station RRI
in the city for about an hour on Monday while they broadcast a
statement on Friday's shootings over the airwaves.

They called for the national flag to be flown at half-mast and
said the public should remain calm, continue with normal
activities and ignore rumors and attempts to provoke unrest in
the country.

They also demanded harsh punishments for those who killed
students at Semanggi on Friday. (jun/24/hhr/bsr)