Indonesia begins its Eidul Fitr travel ban as some try to skirt rules

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Indonesia has begun imposing a previously announced ban on domestic travel as it seeks to contain the spread of the coronavirus during the Eidul Fitr celebrations when millions normally travel to mark the end of Ramazan.

Police officers were deployed across the capital city of Jakarta to check documents and prevent travellers without special permission from leaving the city. They were enforcing a ban on travel by air, land, sea, and rail announced in April which is due to be in place between May 6-17.

Despite the risks, some people still tried to dodge the rules, with police saying on Twitter that several individuals had tried to leave the capital city by hiding out on the back of a vegetable truck.

“I will still try to return home because this has become a tradition even though we have not gone home for two years already,” said 44-year old Basuki Riyanto, who was contemplating how to get to Central Java province.

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