Tension grips city as masses, students clash with police

JAKARTA (JP): Tension once again rocked the city following violent clashes between crowds of ordinary people, including students, and security troops on Friday.

Many employees failed to reach their workplaces. A large number of companies, banks and shops closed down for the day in fear of mobs turning as violent as those in the massive May 1998 riots.

People attempting to withdraw money from automatic teller machines (ATMs) in many parts of the city became upset after realizing the ATM booths had been locked.

The tension was not only apparent on Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, the scene of clashes between troops and students, who demanded the House of Representatives drop the military-sponsored state security bill.

Nervous traders, employees and common people could be seen in many busy places, such as in downtown Kota, Mangga Dua and Grogol, where there are residential complexes and business centers of many Chinese-Indonesians.

Anxiety was also clearly evident on the faces of many shop attendants, particularly females, who were nervously awaiting instructions from their bosses to close their shops.

In many spots in the city, people were seen rushing to find safe ways to leave the area and head home amid rumors in the afternoon of looting in several places near Jl. Sudirman.

Virtually all offices in the vicinity closed after noon on Friday.

Business activities also slowed down in the business districts of Mangga Dua in West Jakarta, Jl. Pinangsia, Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Jl. Gajah Mada, Tanah Abang market and along Jl. Gunung Sahari in Central Jakarta.

More than half of the shops in these areas closed their businesses for the day.

At the popular ITC Mangga Dua shopping mall in West Jakarta, which is usually filled with thousands of people, only a few customers were seen.

Mul, an attendant of Continental apparel shop in the mall, said she had been waiting for her boss' instruction to close up shop.

"I've heard the situation has become worse in Sudirman but my boss has said nothing yet," she said.

Owner of Elis shop, Elisa, said she had prepared herself and the shop for any possible bad situation at the mall.

Jl. Sudirman, the scene of the clashes, on Friday resembled a huge rubbish site, with broken glass, stones, bottles, soil, iron bars and sticks scattered everywhere.

Security guard R.P. Sigit of Aetna building said most of the employees in the building arrived but only stayed a short while before going back home.

"The employees were worried that the situation would turn worse in the evening," he said.

Others like Suwanto and Eddy Sukardani, who became trapped in the area due to a security barricade, just bided their time until they were able to leave the area.

Many workers whose offices are located in the area immediately finished their business before the Islamic Friday midday prayer.

"I don't want to be trapped in the clash... who knows whether or not riots of the scale of May last year will occur again," trader Juandi said.

On the other hand, many other office occupants in the area and local vendors distributed food and other daily needs to protesting students gathered at the nearby Atma Jaya University.

Some of them also collected money to buy things such as food, water, bread, towels, soap and paper napkins for the students.

Private employees Sudarjono and Sarjono said their colleagues collected money upon hearing that some students had been shot by security personnel when protesting the state security bill.

"We collected some Rp 1.5 million within one hour. Then five of our friends immediately bought the things needed this morning," said Sudarjono, who added that the donation was distributed to Trisakti university in West Jakarta and Atma Jaya University in South Jakarta.

Some students' parents also collected donations, like housewife Krisutarto, a mother of an Atma Jaya student who joined the demonstration.

Krisutarto, who was accompanied by three friends from Bekasi in West Java, mobilized her friends to raise funds for the movement.

"I am proud that my daughter is one of those who fight for the people," she said. (ind/04)