1.
GV People walking in streets.
0.13

2.
SV Soldiers checking identity cards.
0.21

3.
GV Troops in street.
0.26

4.
CU Soldier speaking on two-way radio.
0.30

5.
GV Troops directing traffic. (2 SHOTS)
0.48

6.
SV Group of civilians being arrested and boarding truck.(2 SHOTS)
1.01




Initials JS





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: A campaign to reduce Indonesia's crime rate, code-named 'Cosmic Broom' has been resumed. The operation began last September in a drive to curb crime in Jakarta and several other crowded urban areas. For the past two months, the campaign had assumed a low profile, with no visual evidence that it was continuing at all. Then, on Tuesday (3 February), the police and military squads were suddenly patrolling the streets of Jakarta once more.

SYNOPSIS: Residents of Jakarta have learned to treat their police and army with respect. At the beginning of Operation Cosmic Broom in September (1979) they were told they would be shot on the spot if they did not respond to warnings. The renewed drive appears to concentrate on identity card checks.

At the beginning of the campaign, patrols concentrated on lightning raids in selected districts of the capital, and making random checks on queues of vehicles. Many people were arrested. The operation also involved recalling all privately owned firearms for safekeeping, including weapons legally registered. Thousands of firearms have been either handed in or seized. Hunting permits have been cancelled.

Tuesday's resumption of the campaign began without warning, and with several arrests. Cosmic Broom began after some government leaders expressed a fear that increased crime was linked to fund raising to revive the banned Communist Party. Indonesia faces a general election next year.