OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT on EVENTS in SEPTEMBER 2013 Edited by Colin Good
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OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2013 Edited by Colin Good OSAC Jakarta Country Council/AmCham Indonesia Security Committee: Chair: Scott Hanna Vice-Chairs: Chris McCann Colin Good U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer: James J. Murphy The Jakarta Country council is deeply indebted to the efforts of our out-going Chair, Brian Millen, as well as our out-going Vice Chair, Tony Marley, and thank them both for their valuable contribu- tion to the OSAC and the overall security of our businesses and entities here in Indonesia. We wish them all the best in their next postings. Summary of Security-Related Issues throughout Indonesia The following selected information was compiled mostly from submissions from IPJ Services as well as Hill & Associates, to whom we are deeply grateful. This report contains information on a broad spectrum of security concerns and incidents which have occurred in Indonesia during the reporting period. Incidents are listed as they happened and dates are added if reported, otherwise the reader is to assume the event took place during the month in question. Readers are advised that while there are security risks that companies and individuals need to be aware of, avoid or address, Indonesia is a country of over 230 million people living on 17,500 islands that stretch over 4,800 kms. The vast majority of foreign companies that operate in Indonesia, and expatriates who reside in or visit the country, do so without incident providing sensible security precautions are tak- en. OVERVIEW Once again police officers came under attack with no less than six attacks occurring during the month. A police officer was shot and killed in North Jakarta whilst escorting six trucks in the Tanjung Priok Port area. Three days later a police officer was shot at in Depok to the south of Ja- karta whilst he was washing his motor cycle. He was shot in the leg and the shooters made of with his motor cycle. One of the suspects was later arrested when attempting to steal another motor cycle. A week later a police officer on a motor cycle was hit by a car that deliberately backed into him in West Jakarta. Police officers responded to this incident and arrested five suspects four hours later in the same general area. At the end of the month two police officers on motor cycles Page 1 of 22 OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2013 Edited by Colin Good were robbed by five men riding motor cycles in Semarang in Central Java and the same day a po- lice officer checking a vehicle was seriously injured in Jambi when the occupants of the vehicle drove off dragging the police officer along the road. Two perpetrators were later arrested. In the middle of the month a police officer was injured in Central Jakarta when he tried to intervene in a brawl between two gangs and had acid thrown over him. Lone police officers on duty in uniform present a soft target and such crimes are on the increase. The police have issued a statement to the effect that some of these incidents are regarded as ter- rorist attacks. During the month police officers disrupted the smuggling of explosive materials into Indonesia from Malaysia. The first case at the beginning of the month involved the attempted smuggling of 100 kilograms of Ammonium Nitrate at a port in Riau and at the end of the month a further 900 kilo- grams of Ammonium Nitrate from Malaysia was seized in a warehouse in West Kalimantan. Eight rockets were later found hidden behind a house in West Kalimantan and one suspect has been arrested. The porous nature of Indonesia’s borders has historically led to the smuggling of weap- ons and explosives into the country from Malaysia. There is no direct evidence at the moment that these explosives were intended for terrorist purposes and police enquiries are continuing. The police also seized some 768 rounds of ammunition that were found by a resident in Poso in Cen- tral Sulawesi. There were three incidents involving Molotov cocktail bombs during the month. One involved a bomb being thrown at the house of a local government official in Aceh, a second was thrown at a police post in Semarang in Central Java and a third was thrown at a Karaoke establishment in So- lo in Central Java. Grenades were also used in an attack at a newspaper office in Aceh and at a house in Tangerang. ANALYSIS OF DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITY There was only a slight increase in demonstration activity during the month compared to the previ- ous two months when activity was down due to the fasting month and end of fasting month cele- brations. Land disputes and community clashes were to the fore and there were a couple of inci- dents involving election issues. Students and community organizations were involved in several clashes over a range of issues. Many of the demonstrations turned violent and sharp weapons were used which resulted in the death of a participant. In addition to the death many demonstra- tors received injuries. A much anticipated demonstration against the Miss World Contest in Bali failed to happen but the final of the event had to be moved from Sentul in West Java as a result of pressure from Islamic groups which no doubt took some heat out of the issue. It is expected that the level of demonstrations will increase in the next month with labor issues ex- pected to be to the fore involving workers rights and outsourcing issues. It should be noted that workers unions are planning to hold massive demonstrations or even strikes between 23 and 30 October as part of a demand that the government revise its policies on wages. It is currently ex- pected that some 3 million workers will take action in 40 cities in 20 provinces. Page 2 of 22 OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2013 Edited by Colin Good TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME INCIDENTS Explosion in Kalideres, West Jakarta On Sunday (September 1) at around 2200hrs a mysterious object exploded in Perumahan Palem Permata, Blok D6 nomor 39 Kalideres, West Jakarta. Three residential houses were severely damaged by the explosion; however, no casualties were reported. Ammunition Discovered in Poso, Central Sulawesi On Sunday (September 1) in the afternoon a resident found hundreds of rounds of ammuni- tion near an old well, in Lorong Menembak RT 09, on Jalan Ponegoro, Sayo, South Poso, Central Sulawesi. Poso Police secured at least 768 rounds of ammunition. Thrown Grenade in Aceh On Saturday (September 7) at around 0400hrs an unknown person threw a grenade at a News Office ‘Tabloid Modus’, on Jalan T. Nyak Makam, Ie Masen Kayee Adang Village, Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh. The entrance to the office was damaged. Attempted Smuggling of Bomb-Making Materials in West Kalimantan Page 3 of 22 OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2013 Edited by Colin Good On Monday (September 9) Sambas Police disrupted the smuggling of bomb-making materials from Malaysia, destined for Kepulauan Riau, in Sintete Port, Pemangkat. Police arrested two sus- pects and seized 100 kg of Ammonium Nitrate from the suspects. Shooting of Police Officer in South Jakarta On Tuesday (September 10) at around 2225hrs four unidentified men riding two motorcycles shot and killed a police officer riding a motorcycle while escorting six trucks carrying elevator part from Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, in front of the KPK Office, on Jl. HR Rasuna Said, South Jakarta. The victim was shot in the abdomen, chest and shoulders. Police officers were examining several witnesses and searching for the four perpetrators. Police Attack in Gambir, Central Jakarta On Monday (September 9) at around 2145hrs a police officer was attacked by two unknown peo- ple in East Cideng, Gambir, Central Jakarta. The victim met the two perpetrators who were offering to sell a mobile phone, when the victim told them he was a police officer the perpetrators suddenly stabbed him with a screwdriver and then fled. Thrown Molotov Bomb in Aceh On Thursday (September 13) at around 1330hrs a group of unknown people threw a Molotov style bomb at a house owned by Head of Rural Development of Biara Timu Village, in Biara Timu Vil- lage, Tanah Jambo Aye, North Aceh. As a result an electric meter box and a door were burned. Molotov Bomb Thrown at Police Post in Semarang On Monday (September 16) at around 1944hrs an unknown person threw a Molotov style bomb at a police post in Ujung Tol Kaligawe, Genuk, on Jalan Kaligawe, Semarang. As a result a wall and glass at the police post were damaged. Police Shootings Subject Arrested in Tangerang On Tuesday (September 17) Panongan police arrested one of the four suspects in the police of- ficer shooting in Cimanggis, Depok, on Friday, September 13. The suspect was caught while steal- ing a motorcycle in front of an Alfamart minimarket, in South Tangerang. The suspect confessed to his role in the shooting. Police are investigating and searching for other suspects. Explosives and Rockets Seized in West Kalimantan On Monday (September 23) at around 2300hrs police officers seized 900kg of explosives (ammo- nium nitrate) allegedly from Malaysia, in a warehouse in Jagoi Village, Jagoi Babang District, Bengkayang Regency, Kalimantan Barat and found eight rockets behind a house in Seberuang Village, Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan. Police arrested one suspect and are investigating the in- tended purpose of these materials.