PREPARATIONS ON FOR CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR TRAVELERS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 21 (Antara) - Four days before Christmas, on Friday, an increase in the number of travelers was noticed, particularly at railway stations, and the number of holidaymakers is expected to reach its peak on Saturday.              "The peak will be reached tomorrow (December 22). I checked several places, especially the train station, and there was an around 20 percent surge in the number of passengers," Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi remarked after attending a limited meeting on the Christmas and New Year preparations on Friday.              Hence, the Indonesian Railway Company (KAI) has prepared 444 locomotives, one spare locomotive unit, 1,637 train units and 218 spare train units.              According to the minister, the number of train passengers on other days through the Pasar Senen Railway Station reaches as many as 14 thousand. On Friday, the number of passengers at the station increased to 24 thousand. It is estimated that 28 thousand people will use the trains on Saturday, December 22.               With regard to the number of trains, this year, KAI will undertake 346 regular train trips and 48 additional train trips to serve people who want to use railroad services during the year-end holiday period.

INDONESIANS DEMONSTRATE RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE ON CHRISTMAS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 25 (Antara) - Since Christmas Eve on Thursday night, Indonesian Christians have performed services and various religious rituals solemnly and peacefully in the world's largest Muslim populated country, which holds religious tolerance in the highest esteem.         For instance, since Christmas Eve, Jakarta's Cathedral Church, which is located adjacent to Indonesia's largest Istiqlal Mosque, has been thronged by masses of pilgrims.         Thousands of churchgoers continued to flock the Cathedral since Friday morning, while on the other side, Muslims also congregated at the Istiqlal Mosque to offer Friday prayers.         Both Christians and Muslims performed religious rituals solemnly in their respective houses of worship. The management of Istiqlal mosque even allowed the participants of the Christmas mass service at the close by Jakarta Cathedral to access its parking lots.         Erik Muliawan, the spokesman of the church's Christmas celebration committee, stated on Thursday that this demonstrated a form of tolerance developed between the church and mosque so far.

FOURTEEN MILLION PEOPLE FORECAST TO MAKE YEAR-END TRIPS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, 12 (Antara) - About 14 million people are expected to travel during this year's Christmas and New Year holidays similar to the trend observed in the previous years.         An estimated 14 million travelers will use both public transportation and private vehicles.          Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan reminded all public transportation operators and travelers to maintain safety while conducting year-end trips during the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.          The minister also stressed on safety and quality service for passengers during a coordination meeting held on Wednesday to discuss transportation preparations in the face of the upcoming 2014 Christmas and 2015 New Year holidays.          "Operators must offer good transportation facilities, vehicles, and crew members to ensure the safety aspect and quality of service in all areas beginning from ticket sales during the Christmas and New Year holidays," the minister remarked.

GOVT ANTICIPATES PASSENGER INFLUX DURING X'MAS, NEW YEAR

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Dec 20 (Antara) - The government is taking necessary steps to handle the anticipated surge in the number of air and sea passengers during the 2013 Christmas and New Year 2014 celebrations.          This year, the flow of air passengers is forecast to increase by 10 percent, while the number of passengers taking the sea route is forecast to increase by 20 percent from 2012.          A total of 93,364 additional seats will be available on flights operational from 27 airports spread across the country. A total of 23 airports operate domestic flights, while four operate international flights.      Since early this year, 403 flights by 18 airlines are in operation.          The Ministry of Transportation will also monitor the flow of passengers at 52 seaports in various parts of Indonesia during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, which are expected to last from December 23, 2013 to January 6, 2014.         "We will monitor the flow of passengers at 52 seaports. We forecast the passenger flow will peak on December 23, 2013 and the return flow will peak on January 6, 2014," Director General for Sea Transportation Bobby S Mamahit remarked on Monday.         He stated that his side will install closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitors at 25 out of the 52 seaports to monitor the movement of passengers during the year-end festivities. This is because the number of passengers using sea transport increases every year.

POLICE RAMP UP SECURITY AHEAD OF X'MAS, NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 17 (Antara) - The Indonesia National Police has said it will launch a Candle Light Operation and deploy 92,000 officers across the country to maintain security ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.          "The operation will involve more than 92,000 personnel throughout the country. The security officers will come from the Police Headquarters and Regional Police Commands," Brigadier General Boy Rafli Amar, the Head of the Public Information Bureau at the National Police's Public Relations Division, said on Monday.           Security must be tightened to ensure that public safety and order is maintained during Christmas and New Year celebrations, especially given that 2014 will be a politically crucial year as the Indonesian public will go to the polls in a legislative and presidential election.           President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday had urged security officials to be on their guard against certain parties, who would probably take advantage of the festive mood during Christmas and the New Year to disturb the security situation.          "It is a political year and we are sensing the escalating political climate in our country. Therefore, I urge all political elite and politicians to exercise self-restraint," he noted.          To anticipate any unwanted happenings, the head of state also encouraged security and law enforcement officials to work extra hard to ensure security. "I have received a report from the National Police Chief about the plans of certain elements to disturb security and order at certain places," the President stated.          Brigadier General Boy pointed out that as a result, a Candle Light Operation will take place from December 23, 2013 to January 1, 2014, wherein the police will divide operation areas into two priority regions, namely Priority I and Priority II.          He revealed that the Priority I region would cover 14 regional police commands overlooking the provinces of North Sumatra, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali, East Kalimantan, Papua, Yogyakarta, East Nusa Tenggara, Central Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, Maluku and Central Kalimantan.          "The regional police commands in other provinces will launch a Candle Light Operation in the Priority II category," Boy said.

SECURITY GUARANTEED DURING CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 25 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian National Police have guaranteed the security of the Christian community during Christmas celebrations at some 135,000 churches across the country on Monday night and Tuesday.          Protestant Christians and Catholic Christians, who respectively account for 9.2 percent and 3.5 percent of the country's 240 million population, were able to celebrate this year's Christmas Eve peacefully.         "There has been no security disturbance until now, and Christmas is being celebrated peacefully," said Brig Gen Boy Rafli Amar, the head of the public relations bureau at the Indonesian Police Headquarters, here on Tuesday.          "The Christmas Eve celebrations also went by peacefully on Monday night," he added.          The National police deployed a total of 82,633 security personnel this year to step up security during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

POLICE READY TO SECURE X'MAS FESTIVITIES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 22 (ANTARA) - The National Police will field at least 83 personnel to secure year-end festivities nation-wide, particularly during Christmas Eve when in the past churches became the target of terror acts.          According to National Police Chief General Timur Pradopo, a total of 87,339 police and 18,917 military (TNI) personnel and from other offices concerned will be deployed to ensure security at various locations linked to Christmas and New Year celebrations across the country.          Besides in Jakarta, priority will also be given to other provinces, particularly provinces which are vulnerable to unrest.          "Based on the rate of vulnerability and intensity of activities first priority will be given to 14 police regions namely Papua, Maluku, Southeast Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan, Bali, East Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, Jakarta, West Java and North Sumatra," Timur Prodop said.         In carrying out the security maintenance, police will launch an operation dubbed "Operation Candle 2011."     "Specifically, the National Police will also launch Operation Candle 2011 in the period of December 23, 2011 - January 1, 2012,"  Timur Pradopo said here on Thursday.          For the pacification in the capital city Jakarta, police will field 5,899 personnel from Jakarta Police and 1,780 public order officers (Satpol PP) Jakarta.         Timor Pradopo said that police and military officers must be able to guarantee security during the Christmas and New Year festivities so that the event would proceed solemnly, peacefully and comfortably.       "We also call on the people to play their role in maintaining the peace around churches in their neighborhoods. The role of the people is vitally important in maintaining security during the Christmas and New Year activities," he said after leading a roll-call of Operation Candle 2011 personnel at the National Monument (Monas) square here on Thursday morning.          He said that officers grouped in the  Operation Candle 2011 would conduct sterilization program of churches in  a number of regions to anticipate terror acts such as bomb threats.         "The people, Christians in particular, should not be worried. We already have standard of operations (SOP) for all," he said.          He said that it was a must to carry out sterilization after which security officers would conduct control from the beginning of the activities, namely since the preparations until the implementation of activities.          In the meantime, Jakarta Police Chief Untung S Radjab did not ruled out the possibility of the existence of terrorist group in Jakarta.         But the terror group has not yet until now acted to disturb Jakartans. "The people have not yet so far received threats from the terror group but it really exist so that we should anticipate everything that is possible to happen," Untung said.          Terrorism threats and actions still marred the security situation in 2011 and must thus remain to be given special attention, especially ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.          After all, the number of security problems this year increased. Timur Pradopo said security problems increased by 6.3 percent this year to 317,016 from 298,988 in 2010.          "Increasing activities and mobility have been the cause of various security and order problems so far," he  said.          Timur said all of the challenges required the police's role and synergy with community members and other offices with regard to formulating innovative measures and effective actions to deal with the potential threats.          To ensure security for the Christmas and New Year celebrations the police in cooperation with their security partners will conduct centralized candle light operations (Operasi Lilin) for ten days from December 23 to January 2 as an integrated humanitarian operation that will put preventive actions above others supported by law enforcement and early detection.          Special attention will also be given to Jakarta where terror threats still prevailed. "Terrorism threats and actions meanwhile still marred the security situation in 2011 and must thus remain to be given special attention, especially ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations," he said.         Police will also involve inter-faith mass organizations in maintaining peace during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.         Besides that Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said the regional government of Jakarta would continue to coordinate with the Jakarta Police in providing security and peacefulness for Jakarta.          "We will work hard in maintaining security, public order and peace for Jakarta residents," Bowo said.          (T.A014/A/HAJM/00:25/a014) 23-12-2011 00:26:2