POLICE INTENSIFY SECURITY DURING IDUL FITRI HOLIDAYS BY Fardah

Jakarta, Sept. 15, 2009 (ANTARA) - Athough Idul Fitri, the post-fasting month festivity, happens every year in accordance with the lunar calendar, Muslims in Indonesia and other countries never celebrate it in exactly the same way.

"What we are going to do to prepare for Idul Fitri this year should not be a routine activity. We should regard it as a special operation that has to be successful," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said when speaking at a cabinet meeting at his office recently.

An exodus of at least 27 million travelers heading for their hometowns and villages as well as tourist resorts throughout Indonesia, is expected this year in the runup to and during Idul Fitri which is mostly likely to fall next Sunday and Monday (September 20 and 21).

Among places where people stepped up their activities, are shopping malls, traditional markets, places of worship, recreational spots, airports, bus terminals and train stations, National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri said in his written speech read out by Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto in Bogor, on Sept. 12, 2009.

"The intensified mobility of the public has implications on security and public order," the general said, adding that such a condition must be managed properly in order to ensure the security, comfort and safety of those celebrating Idul Fitir, he said.

For that purpose, the National Police is carrying out `Ketupat` Operation simultaneously throughout the country in order to provide services and security to the public celebrating Idul Fitri, from seven days before to seven days after Idul Fitri or Lebaran, the police chief said.

Inspector General SY Wenas, a national police deputy chief, said recently in Jakarta that at least 113,000 police officers were mobilized in the Ketupat 2009 Operation in all over Indonesia.

Their targets include traffic routes of home-bound travelers, business centers, basic goods and fuel distribution routes, seaports, airports, train stations, bus terminals, places of worships, recreational centers and vital objects.

Another important target of the Ketupat Opreration 2009 is to anticipate the act of terrorism, as the latest bombings of JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta last July are still fresh in the mind of the public and the alleged mastermind of the bombings, Malaysia-born Noordin M Top, and some of his aids, are still at large.

"To prevent terrorism from happening during Idul Fitri festivities, I have ordered police intelligence officials to intensify early detection efforts and continue to cooperate with other intelligence agencies," National Police Chief General Bambang Danuri said in his written statement read out by East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Police Chief Brig Gen A. Bambang Suedi in Kupang on Monday (Sept. 14).

"It is much better to anticipate terrorism or public security disturbance before it happens," the general said.

West Java Police, for instance, deploy about 3,000 anti-terror personnel to guard Idul Fitri travelers in West Java, the province`s police chief, Insp. Gen Timur Pradopo, said in Bandung recently.

The police force include 4 teams from the anti-terror detachment, each consisting of 750 men, and one of the four anti-terror units would be contributed by National Police Headquarters in Jakarta.

The anti-terror forces would be stationed in places considered prone to the entry of terrorists such as inter-city bus terminals, train stations and airports.

The anti-terror forces also guard provincial borders such as the border in Cirebon. "Border areas should be guarded to anticipate the entry of terrorists in West Java," Insp. Gen. Pradopo said.

Bali Police have also intensified security measures especially in Bali`s tourist spots and commercial centers, which had been target of terrorism several years ago.

A Denpasar inhabitant, Ketut Sumarsini, said she and her fellow traders felt safer thanks to the presence of police officers and other security guards in the Balinese capital.

"Some terrorists are reportedly still at large. I am just a small gold trader wanting no problem" Sumarsini said Tuesday (Sept. 15).

To guard the Idul Fitri festivities, some 1,550 police officers are mobilized throughout Bali, which is one of the five cities given security priority in Indonesia during Idul Fitri this year.

"We don`t want an act of terrorism to happen again. If we find an indication, certainly we will take action in accordance with the existing law," a Balinese police officer armed with a rifle and a walky-talky radio, said.

In addition to police, the Regional Military Command IX/Udayana has also mobilized a number of soldiers to guard the Islamic holiday on Bali Island.

Indonesian Railway Company PT KAI has also involved Anti-terror Special Detachment-88 (Densus-88) to ensure security for holiday travelers using train service.

"We involve Densus-88 in security management on board both economic and non-economic trains," Surabaya Pasar Turi station master Adji Julianto said in Surabaya (East Java Province) on Tuesday (Sept. 15).

He said the Densus-88 personnel would be posted on each set of train from Surabaya to Semarang and Jakarta, but for other destination PT KAI would only deploy police personnel.

Besides, every set of train for any destination is guarded by police officers. The number of home-goers using train from Surabaya was predicted to increase by 982,646 people.

At Soekarno-Hatta International airport located near Jakarta, a total of 30 armed police personnel are deployed to guard the flow of travelers.

To guard the Jakarta waters, the director of Jakarta`s water police, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Edion, sent off 33 patrol boats from Pondok Duyung pier last Monday (Sept. 14).

The patrol boats included 31 from the Water Police and two from the public security directorate of the National Police, he said. "The number of officers mobilized in the security operation is 200," Edion said.

They will be on guard at Tanjung Priok, Muara Angke and Muara Baru until September 28, 2009. The water police boats are also tasked to patrol Jakarta waters and especially monitor and stop boats overloaded with passengers.

Meanwhile, A 700-strong police detachment will maintain public order and security in Central Jakarta as part of the Ketupat Operation during this year`s Idul Fitri season.

"Central Jakarta`s security conditions are now quite conducive. No empty houses were robbed last year and we are hoping this remains so this year," Central Jakarta Police Precinct Chief Commissioner Ike Edwin said here on Monday (Sept. 14).

But Edwin urged Central Jakarta residents to remain alert. Home-bound travelers, he said, should ensure that they have properly locked their houses before leaving on their trips while those who stay in Jakarta should conduct community-based patrols (siskamling) in their neighborhoods.

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