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Police wield the power of female beauty at Monas
The sudden downpour was probably the main reason for the thinning out of protester crowds around Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday afternoon, but the police also claimed credit for the lowering of tensions for having fielded their special weapon: A small group of beautiful policewomen
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he sudden downpour was probably the main reason for the thinning out of protester crowds around Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday afternoon, but the police also claimed credit for the lowering of tensions for having fielded their special weapon: A small group of beautiful policewomen.
The Jakarta Police deployed 84 police officers, including 30 policewomen to the area, where they had to face down hundreds of protesters from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and other organizations who were rallying in front of the National Monument (Monas) to protest the government’s fuel policy.
Although the officers were seen hiding in a tent to avoid the scorching sun and, later, the rain, chatting away and laughing amid the clicks of reporters’ cellular phone cameras; they had actually come well prepared.
Lesnusa, 37, was seen flicking up and down her brown sunglasses, which she said were part of her preparations for having to stand in the sun during the demonstrations.
“The sun was so bright in the middle of the day and I don’t want to hurt my eyes,” she said with a smile.
Lesnusa added that the police officers had been assigned to act as mediators between security officers and the protesters, because they had experienced months of training in negotiation and communication skills.
She said water cannon and tear gas were the police’s last resort in managing protest rallies.
“We are prepared to negotiate with the protesters. If we fail, our fellow [male officers] will take over,” Lesnusa said, adding that the first day of demonstrations around Monas had run quite smoothly.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said that the police were using the female officers at the frontline to negotiate with the protesters to prevent chaos.
“The [female] officers can handle them and their presence will lighten the protesters’ mood. I don’t think the protesters will use any violence against women. Should anything happen, our officers will protect their female colleagues,” he said on Tuesday. — JP/asa
