Sutiyoso's foes cancel protest due to security buildup
Sutiyoso's foes cancel protest due to security buildup
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Anti-Sutiyoso demonstrators canceled on Monday their plan to
occupy the City Council building to foil the inauguration
ceremony of Governor Sutiyoso and Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo in
order to avoid clashes with pro-Sutiyoso supporters and security
officers.
Aware that the council building would be tightly guarded by
some 4,000 police and military officers as well as around 1,000
of Sutiyoso's civilian defenders, the anti-Sutiyoso groups
decided to call off their plan.
"We intentionally canceled our rally after hearing that
Sutiyoso had deployed thousands of officers. It's our 'psywar' to
make him afraid and deploy too many officers, who turn out to be
useless," chairman of the Jakarta Student Organization (BEM)
Sardi Effendi told The Jakarta Post.
However, Sardi pledged that the students would remain critical
and continue their rallies against the governor in the near
future.
Separately, chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta)
Azas Tigor Nainggolan admitted that most of anti-Sutiyoso groups
canceled the demonstration to avoid clashes with officers and
Sutiyoso's supporters.
"We want to avoid clashes. It would be useless to clash with
police officers or Sutiyoso's civilian gang," said Tigor, who
came alone and waited in front of the building as he was not
invited to attend the ceremony.
Like Sardi, he said that the opposition against Sutiyoso would
continue with rallies against his policies.
During a massive rally, reportedly involving nearly 20,000
people during the election day on Sept. 11, several protesters
suffered injuries as they clashed with police officers.
Many believed that anti-Sutiyoso groups canceled their plan
also due to the repressive action by the police. At least two
members of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) were arrested on
Saturday during a rally against Sutiyoso in front of the City
Council building.
Separately, the police also arrested and detained at least
eight members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), also a vocal
anti-Sutiyoso group, for damaging entertainment spots on Friday
morning.
It was at least the fourth time that the radical group had
attacked night spots in the city this year, but it was not until
last weekend that the police made any arrests.
The arrest of FPI members, mostly field commanders, was
believed to stem from their public opposition of Sutiyoso.
The FPI, BEM, PRD and Fakta were among several non-
governmental organizations who demanded the annulment of the
result of the gubernatorial election which was marred by evidence
of bribery and other irregularities.
Late on Monday, dozens of PRD supporters showed up and
conducted a rally in front of the council building. They arrived
at about 11 a.m., an hour after the ceremony ended and the pro-
Sutiyoso supporters left.
Dita Indah Sari, chairwoman of the National Front for
Indonesian Labor Struggle (FNPBI), the labor wing of PRD, said
her organization did not have any intention to cancel the rally.
"We came late because we wanted to wait for the other groups
to arrive. Up until late last night all of us were still
committed to occupying the building, but this morning they
canceled it," Dita told reporters.
They nevertheless unfurled a large banner which read, "Annul
Sutiyoso's Inauguration". PRD supporters also carried a large
effigy with two faces - Sutiyoso and President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.
Megawati who is also chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle, the largest faction in the council, supported
Sutiyoso's candidacy in the gubernatorial race and ordered the
members in the City Council to vote for Sutiyoso.