Violence mars Kantata Takwa concert
Violence mars Kantata Takwa concert
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A free concert to highlight social issues was marred when unruly
sections of the estimated 100,000-strong crowd begun rioting in
Central Jakarta on Saturday night.
Police were forced to fire warning shots and a number of
warung (sidewalk stalls) near the Jakarta Hilton were burned in
the violence. The concert was halted 90 minutes before its
scheduled end at midnight.
However, despite the violence the concert resumed and was
expected to finish on time at midnight.
Earlier, the Senayan east parking lot in Central Jakarta had
turned into a sea of people eager to watch the Kantata Takwa
concert featuring well-known singer Iwan Fals, artist Setiawan
Djody, poet W.S. Rendra and musicians Sawung Jabo and Jockie
Suryoprayogo.
Fans from across the city and Greater Jakarta began pouring in
as early as 4 p.m., three hours before the free concert started.
They came by foot, and in cars, buses and trucks. Many came
carrying the national flag as well as the flags of their
political party of choice.
Security was extra tight, with Jakarta Police deploying three
water canons and hundreds of officers to safeguard the concert.
According to police estimates, around 100,000 people turned up
at the concert, the first since 1998, which then drew around
30,000 fans.
Taking the title Pagelaran Kantata Takwa, Kesaksian 2003
(Kantata Takwa Concert, Testimony 2003), the music group hoped to
reflect the prevailing conditions faced by Indonesians. Social
concerns are the group's trademark, as reflected in their theme
songs, including Testimony, a poem by W.S. Rendra.
The violence started when some fans threw empty bottles at a
group of spectators, prompting others to join in. Many of the
stalls near the Hilton Hotel were also destroyed and burned by
the spectators.
Iwan Fals and Sawung Jabo tried to calm their fans, who
responded by singing the national hymn, 17 Agustus (August 17),
in unison. The concert turned into an expression of nationalism.
The incident forced many of the spectators to leave around
21:30 p.m, causing a massive traffic jam on nearby streets.