Soeharto's guard briefs vendors

Soeharto's guard briefs vendors

JAKARTA (JP): A bodyguard of former president Soeharto told
vendors operating near his residency on Jl. Cendana, Central
Jakarta, to gather at a house in the neighborhood for a briefing
on Saturday morning.

"You have to come right now. There is a briefing," he told a
cigarette vendor at the corner of Jl. Cendana and Jl. Tanjung.

"All vendors around here, Sir?" the vendor asked the yellow
batik-clad man.

"Yes, all," said the man, who drove a sedan.

It was 9 a.m., and several journalists, including those from
Japan television NHK, were there to monitor the situation in the
area.

"I don't know why. It is unusual that we, vendors, are
summoned," a cigarette vendor told Antara.

There are about a dozen vendors selling cigarettes, snacks and
drinks along Jl. Cendana.

It was not clear what the briefing was about. But the vendor
said later that they were asked to clean the house, "just like
what we do every Saturday."

Journalists have been watching over Soeharto's place, on Jl.
Cendana 8, since Thursday, as there were reports that the former
president would be questioned last week by a team led by Attorney
General Andi M. Ghalib. However, tight security prevents them
from getting close to the house. They could only monitor the
house from about a 50-meter distance. (sim)