City braces for big protest

The city is ready to face the worst-case scenario of a mass protest that may mark the first 100 days of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's second term in office.

"We have anticipated possible chaos," city spokesman Cucu Ahmad Kurnia said after a meeting between Governor Fauzi Bowo and city police chief Insp. Gen. Wahyono at the City Hall on Wednesday.

Cucu called on Jakarta residents to stay calm, saying the city administration was ready to secure vital objects and guard the protesters.

He said the police had received notification from 114 NGOs and groups that claimed to deploy 30,000 people during the rally on Thursday.

Jakarta police said around 10,000 officers would secure the city during the protest.

Cucu doubted the claim of huge turnout would materialize Thursday, as evident in the rally to mark the International Day against Corruption in December last year.

Fauzi said the city administration would deploy officers from Fire Brigade, Transportation Agency and Health Agency.

The health agency, for example, has prepared 12 ambulance cars.

"We hope everybody can maintain self-control," the governor said.

The city’s traffic police chief Sr. Comr. Condro Kirono said 980 officers would stand ready to redirect the traffic during the protest.

He said the masses would include the House of Representatives on Jl. Gatot Subroto, the State Palace on Jl. Merdeka Utara, the vice president office on Jl. Merdeka Selatan, all in Central Jakarta, and the Corruption Eradication Commission office on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta.

Posted in: Chaos