Snipers, bomb squad deployed to tighten security
Nana Rukmana and Suherjoko, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon/Semarang
Ensuring a safe return home to celebrate religious holidays is no longer limited to the prevention of traffic accidents; snipers and bomb squads from the Police Mobile Brigade will also guard against more sinister possibilities.
They are among at least 3,600 police personnel to be deployed during the Idul Fitri exodus traffic along the north coast area of West Java, 10 days prior to the celebrations due to fall on Nov. 25-26.
They will also safeguard several vital spots along the north coast from possible terrorist attacks or armed robberies during the celebrations. Police have also warned against terrorist suspects on the run.
Cirebon Police chief Sr. Comm. Sunaryono said the security operations called Operasi Ketupat Lodaya 2003 were under supervision of the West Java police headquarters.
The security personnel will be assigned to guard the exodus rush from the Sukra subdistrict in Indramayu regency to the Losari subdistrict in Cirebon regency.
Security personnel will also be posted on a number of alternative routes in Majalengka, Kuningan, Indramayu, Cirebon regencies and Cirebon municipality.
Snipers will be placed in strategic places to deter any crimes during the exodus.
"They will be on alert 24-hours-a-day along the north coast highway equipped with vehicles of high agility, which can slip through crammed traffic and rapidly overcome criminal activities," Sunaryono said. He would not say the number of snipers that would be deployed.
Several areas of high economic value will be guarded by the snipers, including the Balongan oil refinery, the Pertamina Treatment Unit VI in Indramayu regency, Western Java Upstream Operation Area of Pertamina, PT BAT (British American Tobacco) and PT Gas Indonesia in Cirebon mayoralty. They will also guard PT Indocement Tunggak Perkasa in Palimanan, Cirebon regency.
The operation will also be backed by elite troops from the West Java Mobile Brigade of Battalion C.
"The oil refinery in Balongan supplies fuel for Jakarta and West Java. We regard it as a very vital installation," he said.
The crime-prone spots to be manned by snipers are the areas around the Subang-Indramayu regency borders, the Patrol area, Karangampel-Krangkeng highway in Indramayu regency and several other places in Cirebon, Majalengka, Cilimus and Kuningan regencies.
Antara also reported that Cirebon's health agency would deploy at least 200 medical assistants and paramedics at 29 health posts along the north coast highway and alternative routes. Dadang Prihadi, the head of the agency said they would be on duty around the clock.
"Every post will be manned by six health workers who will take turns in three shifts. So there will be two persons on duty in one shift ready at the public health center near the posts," he said. The main post at the health office would monitor every post, he added.
In anticipation of traffic accidents in remote areas, two ambulances from the traveling public health centers would be deployed.
In Semarang on Friday Central Java Police Chief Insp.Gen. Didi Widayadi of Semarang, said any civilian party wanting to set up coordinating posts during the holiday season must collaborate with the police. "There will not be any posko (posts) belonging to one political party or organization," he said in reference to the tendency of setting up posts to help travelers.