Surabaya hit by rumors of rioting planned for Sept. 30

SURABAYA, East Java (JP): The military has beefed up its presence in this provincial capital amid widespread rumors that large-scale demonstrations and even rioting are being planned for Sept. 30.

Among places now under tighter security are the East Java provincial legislature, the Surabaya municipal legislature, the Grahadi gubernatorial office and the provincial administration office along Jl. Pahlawan. Shopping complexes such as Tunjungan Plaza, Surabaya Plaza, Jembatan Merah Plaza, Surabaya Mall and Tunjungan Center have also been secured by security personnel.

Local military chief Col. Bambang Satriawan confirmed to the media that efforts had indeed been made to increase security. "We need to anticipate possible movements aimed at disturbing security," he said here on Thursday.

He also said security officials had been informed of wild rumors circulating among the city's residents. However, the situation did not yet merit extreme action, he said.

"We are preparing ourselves for demonstrations which some people say will be held on Sept. 30. What's important is we are guaranteeing the safety of Surabaya's residents and of nearby areas," he said.

Sept. 30 is a historical day for Indonesians, as it marks the bloody communist coup attempt of 1965.

Bambang did not disclose any parties suspected of plotting rioting, though some organizations have indeed announced plans to mobilize demonstrators as early as Sunday. The Surabaya branch of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, for instance, plans to hold a major gathering of its youth on Sunday at Surya Park.

The same organization will hold similar gatherings simultaneously in three other East Java towns: Kediri, Malang and Madiun. Banners and posters announcing the rallies have already been seen in various strategic places.

A number of other Islamic organizations are also reportedly planning to hold major gatherings next Tuesday. The rallies are meant to remind the public about the danger of communism and to denounce violence and unconstitutional acts.

In addition, pro-democracy activists are also planning a major demonstration on Sept. 30 to protest skyrocketing prices. The plan for the rally, however, is not yet considered final.

"We want to hold a demonstration but then we heard that there would be a (competing) demonstration to support (President B.J. Habibie), so we are really still thinking this plan over," said Herwan Febriyadi, an activist and student of the Surabaya Institute of Technology.

"We don't want to be trapped in a situation where certain parties can 'divide and conquer' us," he said, adding that the students may hold the demonstration on Sept. 29 instead.

Meanwhile, reports from the Central Java town of Kebumen indicated on Wednesday that the rioting that rocked the town on Sept. 7 and Sept. 8 targeting Chinese-Indonesian residents had incurred material losses exceeding Rp 400 billion (US$36.4 million).

Dozens of Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneurs told journalists on Wednesday that at least 80 buildings -- shops, houses, warehouses, factories and others -- had been either vandalized, looted or burned.

They expressed not only sadness but also confusion over their future plans now that their assets had been lost in the chaos that erupted following a minor dispute between a Chinese trader and his "indigenous" shop assistant.

"We don't know where to go. We're still traumatized, and we are not convinced that security has been restored," said Handoko, a 45-year-old businessman who suffered a loss of Rp 1.2 billion in the rioting, only half of which is covered by his insurance policy.

"The (local) government may have said things are back to normal now, but what if unrest flares up again?" said Sugianto.

Kebumen Police chief Lt. Col. Nuryanto Suharto said his office could only maintain security and was not responsible for compensating losses. "They have insurance, don't they? Besides, this was an accident that was unexpected," he said in a media briefing.

He also denied reports that his men had been extorting money from the Chinese-Indonesian traders. "I never ordered my men to do such a thing," he said. (nur/45)