Traffic creeps back to normal after last week's rioting

JAKARTA (JP): Gambir Railway Station in Central Jakarta reopened yesterday and road traffic started to creep back to normal after last week's massive rioting crippled the city of 10 million people.

Roadblocks the military set up to foil an antigovernment demonstration last week were removed, except for a few leading to the National Monument (Monas). The demonstration was planned to begin at the monument.

Students and political activists canceled the demonstration to avoid possible bloodshed.

Monas Square is surrounded by vital government buildings, including the presidential palace.

The station, the busiest in town, was closed because of the planned demonstration on Wednesday. Instead passengers had to alight and disembark at Manggarai Station, South Jakarta.

"All trains connecting Jakarta and other towns are back in operation here today," said Gambir Station spokesperson Iis.

Although there was an absence of the city's usually horrendous traffic congestion, more and more private cars and public buses were back on the streets.

Roads had been practically deserted since massive rioting brought economic activities in the capital to a halt on May 13, when over 1,500 cars and motorcycles trapped in the rioting were burned by mobs.

There was light traffic at Patung Tani traffic circle in Central Jakarta yesterday because cars had to take turns to pass a roadblock that the military had not removed.

Parts of Jl. Thamrin were still barricaded and traffic heading for Jl. Merdeka Barat was directed to Jl. Kebon Sirih or Tanah Abang.

Jl. Merdeka Utara, where the presidential palace, home affairs ministry office, Army headquarters and Supreme Advisory Council office are located, were closed to the public. Only employees of offices in the area were allowed to enter.

Yesterday, a traffic jam on Jl. Gatot Subroto in front of the House of Representatives persisted yesterday due to motorists and passersby stopping and watching demonstrating students in the House compound. People parked their cars or motorcycles on the road.

Traffic congestion has occurred there since Tuesday, when thousands of students started to stage a noisy antigovernment demonstration. The protest still continues. (pan)