War on 'preman' declared

War on 'preman' declared

JAKARTA (JP): The city police and military officers have vowed to fight street hoodlums throughout Jakarta following the recent killing of one police officer and the wounding of another.

"The hoodlums (locally called preman) and their activities will be our first target in our joint operation codenamed Cleansing Operation. There is a strong indication that these groups have disturbed and frightened society," said Maj. Gen. Wiranto, head of the Jakarta Coordinating Agency for National Stability.

The current incident has sparked all city police, military members and other related officers "to maximize their capabilities and intensify the joint operation to make this city safe," said Wiranto, who is also the city's military commander.

Wiranto's remarks support an earlier statement made by City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo, who also spoke out after Monday's attack on the two officers at the Blok M shopping center in South Jakarta.

Upon learning that one of the police officers was killed in the incident, Dibyo immediately instructed all his personnel to arrange an intensive operation to rid the city of preman.

Monday evening's attack near the Melawai Plaza building resulted in the death of First Lieutenant Budi Prasetyo Utomo, who was stabbed and beaten to death by a group of drunken thugs.

Budi's friend, Capt. Arman Depari, suffered several bruises to the face. Both were still students at Jakarta's Police College.

Territory

Police claim that the argument was ignited by members of the group who regularly roam the shopping area like a fiefdom.

Minutes after the incident, police returned to the scene and arrested four suspects. Two other suspects were arrested the following day and another, identified as Mario, was fatally shot in the head and body yesterday. Sources said that Mario was 'finished' in Gungung Putri area, Bogor, West Java.

The suspects who were interrogated said that some of them had been tortured during interrogation.

"I know that I'm wrong. I already admitted all my wrongdoings. But do not treat me so inhumanely like this," one of the suspects told the Post.

"They (the interrogating officers) continued to punch me. They used burning cigarette butts, sharp razors, iron bars and rulers to interrogate me," he cried. "They never stopped torturing me even though I had already told them everything."

Police are still searching for at least three others.

Public support

Most people contacted by The Jakarta Post yesterday, especially parking attendants, street vendors, female visitors, food sellers and traders in the area, support the operation.

"I know the preman in this Melawai area better than anywhere else. They only disturb the public here and I have no single reason not to support the operation," said M. Ali, 45, who has been working as a parking attendant at the site for 27 years.

"The only way to stop them is through a massive operation," said Muharam, 35, a food seller.

"I'm not asking the police to shoot the premans to death but at least clean them out from public areas. Their activities really frighten us, especially women," commented Mrs. Lulu, 38, an architect.

She urged the police and military officers, however, not to make this operation a kind of revenge against the preman.

Dibyo and Wiranto pledged yesterday that their personnel would carry out the operation obeying all legal procedures.

Criminologist Mulyana W. Kusumah hoped the operation would be ongoing. "If not, a new generation of hoodlums will set up there," Mulyana commented.

Yorrys Raweyai, an executive of the powerful Pemuda Pancasila organization, also welcomed the decision.

"If needed, we'll do all our best to support the operation," Yorrys told the Post.

The city police have already apprehended 39 young people in the Blok M area believed to be hoodlums.

"None of them had identity cards and three were illegally carrying sharp weapons," said the head of the crime investigation directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Lt. Col. Gories Mere.

The 36 people will be released after being identified, Mere said.

According to Mere, the plan to rid the city of preman in all public areas, bus terminals, shopping centers and business districts would be pursued throughout the city. (bsr)