The Yogyakarta Police have deployed 1,600 personnel to secure Christmas celebrations in 322 churches in areas across the province, a high ranking official has said
he Yogyakarta Police have deployed 1,600 personnel to secure Christmas celebrations in 322 churches in areas across the province, a high ranking official has said.
'We will deploy the police personnel in several locations to secure Christmas celebrations,' Yogyakarta Police chief Brig.Gen.Oerip Soebagyo said on Tuesday.
He further explained that of the total 1,600 personnel, the Yogyakarta Police contributed 299 officers, followed by the Yogyakarta Police precinct (300), the Sleman Police precinct (290), the Gunungkidul Police (230), the Bantul Police precinct (251) and 230 personnel from the Kulonprogo Police precinct.
Thousands of members of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) youth wing Anshor (Banser) Yogyakarta and other society elements would participate in securing Christmas celebrations in the province, he added.
Banser Yogyakarta head Fairuz Ahmad said the NU youth wing was ready to help police providing security to ensure smooth and peaceful Christmas celebrations in the province.
'We have members almost in all areas. We will ensure the presence of our members in every area where a Christmas celebration will take place. Currently, more than 1,000 Banser members are ready to help provide security for the festivity,' said Fairuz.
Oerip said the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel would hold security checks in big churches such as Antonius church in Kotabaru, Hati Kudus Tuhan Yesus (HKTY) church in Ganjuran and several other churches one day before the Christmas celebrations, which would fall on Thursday.
In Gunungkidul regency, local police have provided special guarding in five churches as they have quite a huge number of congregation members. They are Santo Petrus Kanisius Baleharjo, Santo Yusuf Bandung, Javanese Christian Church (GKJ) Wonosari, Santo Petrus Paulus Kelor and GKJ Wiladeg.
'One day before the Christmas celebration, we will hold security checks in those five churches,' said Gunungkidul Police precinct head Adj. Sr. Comr. Faried Zulkarnaen. (ebf)(+++)
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