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Plan to deploy snipers in Jakarta denied

Source
Straits Times - June 13, 2000

Jakarta – Jakarta police have denied a statement by the city's governor that they are planning to deploy snipers at commercial centres in the capital ahead of the next session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August. "We aren't going to deploy snipers in the city," said Zainuri Lubis, a police spokesman.

"The deployment of snipers will only reflect that the situation is very bad," he said. He said the police would reinforce their personnel guarding the city's main business centres. "We'll deploy a number of plainclothes detectives to monitor the situation. I don't know the exact number."

Governor Sutiyoso on Friday, two days after a meeting with top officers from the police and military, said that Jakarta police would use sharpshooters at 25 main business centres during the August MPR session.

"City Police Headquarters has agreed to deploy its sharpshooters to protect the business centres from possible outbreaks during the MPR general session," he said.

"But how many personnel will be deployed and where they will be positioned will be up to them to decide." City councillors have strongly opposed the deployment of sharpshooters to control rioters.

Councillor Syarif Zulkarnaen of the United Development Party (PPP) faction said the deployment of snipers was only the last resort to deter rioters. "The police must use other means to break any possible riots because shooting will only cause more problems," he said.

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