Jakarta – Be careful if you take a taxi. Many disguised ABRI (armed forces) intelligence agents are becoming taxi drivers. The drivers job is to draw their passengers into conversation and if their views are anti-government, take them to the police.

A Blue Bird taxi driver said that his company is employing many drivers from ABRI. "Many Blue Bird taxi drivers are being replaced by soldiers. Be careful if you speak in a taxi", said the driver.

Many such intelligence agents are already in action. A strange occurrence in relation to these drivers has already been experienced by an NGO activist who is active in the area of women's advocacy. Last week, the activist ordered a Blue Bird taxi by telephone. During the journey, they were engrossed in reading a book. But the driver persisted in trying to get them to talk about the issue of East Timor.

A women passenger also had an unpleasant experience. Because she talked too passionately against Suharto, the driver drove the taxi to the Metro Jaya police. There, the passenger, who was in fact a civil servant, was interrogated and detained for the night.

[Translated by James Balowski]