Surabaya hit by rumors of rioting planned for Sept. 30

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)