Jakarta - The Beijing Olympic torch relay kicked off Tuesday
in Indonesia's capital Jakarta under heavy security as dozens of
activists staged a pro-Tibet rally outside the city's main sports
stadium.
The relay was originally planned to pass through large stretches
of bustling city, but due to security concerns the route was cut
short around the Bung Karno Sports Complex in central Jakarta,
organizers said.
Some 80 torch bearers - including officials, athletes and
artists - were lined up to take turns carrying the flame along a
7-kilometre route inside the sports stadium complex.
Members of the public will be barred from directly watching the
relay, and only about 5,000 invited guests, including Indonesian and
Chinese students would witness the relay.
Around 3,000 security personnel - comprises of police and military
officers - backed by an armored car and police dogs, were deployed in
and around the area, to secure the torch relay.
'Nobody can enter the area - sports stadium - without an official
invitation,' said Sumohadi Marsis, head of the Olympic torch
organizing committee.
Police dispersed about 150 anti-China protestors and detained
eight activists, including one Dutch national, as well as seizing
flags of pro-Tibet activists during a rally outside the stadium,
witnesses said.
But police allowed dozens of other protestors to rally at the gate
of the main sports stadium. After a brief questioning, all of the
locals were released while the Dutchman was still being questioned.
The protesters carrying banners reading: 'No human rights, no
Olympics,' while some wore white T-shirts saying 'Free TIbet.'
The torch, which was kept at the Shangri-La Hotel in central
Jakarta since arrived in Jakarta shortly after midnight Monday from
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Rita Subowo, chairwoman of Indonesia's sports committee, told a
press conference on Monday that initially, the organizers would give
people the chance to see the torch relay, but after some protests in
other countries the committee decided to change the route at
Beijing's request.
Subowo urged against mixing sports with politics, race or creed,
and expressed the hope that the 'Chinese will be able to resolve
their own internal problems.'
A group of about 100 elementary school students expressed
disappointment after they were turned down their entry by security
authorities after failing to show official invitation.
Anti-China groups, including Falungong, free-Tibet groups and
Greenpeace, planned to stage protests in conjunction with the torch
relay, activist leaders said.
The chosen torch bearers include Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo,
Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lan
Linjun and badminton world champion Taufik Hidayat.
Protests dogged the torch relay during its stops in Paris, London
and San Francisco, with demonstrations over China's crackdown on
anti-government protesters in Tibet.
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