Fresh riots hit West Java and S. Sumatra towns<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Fresh rioting hit the West Java town of
\nPangalengan yesterday while unrest continued in the South Sumatra
\nsubdistrict of Pagaralam.<\/p>\n
In Pangalengan, police arrested three people on charges of
\ninciting the riot in which eight shops were attacked and looted
\nbefore the situation was brought under control.<\/p>\n
The riot coincided with a mass strike by bus drivers
\nprotesting against spiraling prices of essential commodities and
\nauto parts.<\/p>\n
Eye witnesses said people were seen loitering around in
\nseveral places waiting for buses. They turned violent after being
\nprovoked to riot by another group of people.<\/p>\n
The mob threw stones at shops and houses. Dozens of security
\nofficers quickly moved in to disperse the 200 rioters.<\/p>\n
Rumors of imminent riot abounded in Bandung, but came to
\nnothing. Security officers were visible in strategic areas of
\nthis city.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the South Sumatra town of Pagaralam, 200 kilometers
\nsouth of the capital Palembang, remained tense yesterday after
\nbeing rocked with violent protests at price increases Sunday.<\/p>\n
AP reported that a mob damaged three shops belonging to
\nentrepreneurs of Chinese descent.<\/p>\n
Security was tight and shops remained closed throughout
\nyesterday, the report said.<\/p>\n
In Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, police said 56 people have been
\narrested in connection with riots on Feb. 8, in which dozens of
\nshops were set on fire.<\/p>\n
In East Java, the police warned that they would not hesitate
\nto shoot rioters "who pose a great danger to others".<\/p>\n
"Why not (shoot them)? That is justifiable, shoot on sight,"
\npolice spokesman, Lt. Col. Soetrisno T.S., was quoted by Antara
\nas saying.<\/p>\n
He was commenting on the possibility of unrest and rioting
\nfollowing massive redundancies among the province's workforce.<\/p>\n
However, he added that the authorities would always follow the
\nstandard procedures.<\/p>\n
Soetrisno said the police were trying to track down people who
\nspread rumors of bomb scares in East Java.<\/p>\n
Rumors of bomb threats, including several department stores in
\nMalang and Surabaya and a hotel in Sidoarjo, have been
\ncirculating these past few days.<\/p>\n
Soetrisno said the rumor-mongers would be charged with
\nsubversion if arrested.<\/p>\n
"But of course, this needs thorough investigation. We are
\ncurrently still investigating", he said.<\/p>\n
These bomb threats, he said, show that there are certain
\nparties trying to create instability in the province,
\nparticularly prior to the upcoming general session of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
"It is still too early for us to name a group. We are trying
\nour best to identify them," he said.<\/p>\n
From Medan, North Sumatra, the provincial Chief of Police,
\nBrig. Gen. M.A. Sambas, confirmed yesterday that the riot in
\nPadang Sidempuan last week was sparked by recent price increases.
\n(21\/43\/yac\/byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fresh-riots-hit-west-java-and-s-sumatra-towns-1447893297",
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