Frustrated troops storm Jakarta Hospital<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The quiet surroundings of Jakarta Hospital on
\nJl. Sudirman suddenly turned into a war zone on Wednesday
\nmidnight when some 50 frustrated military officers ran amok
\nsearching for suspected militant students hiding on the premises.<\/p>\n
The armed security personnel broke into the hospital's four-
\nstory administration building, broke the windows and doors and
\nfired several gas canisters at the basement, leaving stunned
\npatients, night-shift nursers, doctors and other staff of the
\nhospital in terror.<\/p>\n
The eight-story patients' building at the back which is also
\nconnected to the administration office was left untouched.<\/p>\n
The troops were finally able to drag away some 20 students
\nfrom the hospital compound.<\/p>\n
After their departure, the four rooms -- respectively used for
\nthe kitchen, administration, central sterilization for surgical
\nequipment and a laundry -- were heavily damaged.<\/p>\n
Part of the partition and ceiling in the administration room
\nwere torn down. Broken glass, doors and tables were strewn across
\nthe floor.<\/p>\n
Computers were ripped apart and thrown to the floor. Blood
\nstains were seen on parts of the floor. A number of machines for
\nsterilizing surgical equipment were damaged along with an
\nambulance.<\/p>\n
The hospital management on Thursday estimated the total loss
\ncaused by the brutal security personnel at Rp 3 billion
\n(US$422,500).<\/p>\n
Three witnesses, a nurse, a staffer and a street boy revealed
\nthe nightmare which happened in front of their eyes to reporters
\non Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"I saw the soldiers circling the hospital ... I was so scared
\nthat they might shoot at the main entrance and endanger lives,\"
\nsenior nurse Dora who was in charge that night recalled.<\/p>\n
Knowing that the troops had ruined the basement area of the
\nhospital's administration office, Dora then ordered the other
\nnurses to stay still on their respective wards and floors.<\/p>\n
\"I then ordered the security guards to seal off every
\nemergency exit stairs by placing tables and sofas in front of
\nthem to prevent the troops from moving further,\" she added.<\/p>\n
With a flashlight in her hands, Dora also ordered students who
\nwere as usual seeking refuge at the hospital to stay down on the
\nfloor and remain quiet.<\/p>\n
Another witness Apip Ridwan, head of the secretarial division,
\nsaid that he stayed in the basement to prevent the troops, the
\nstudents and several other people who were hiding in the area
\nfrom further wrecking hospital assets, especially a roomful of
\ngas containers.<\/p>\n
\"When the hospital security guards and I were trying to push
\nthe people out of the hospital, the troops suddenly broke into
\nthe basement and shot at least eight tear gas canisters,\" Apip
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"I saw the troops beating some of the people and dragging them
\nout of the basement,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The troops, he said, were wearing gas masks.<\/p>\n
Arpan, a 14-year-old street child from Ciputat suffered a
\nswollen face because the troops hit him with sticks.<\/p>\n
\"I was sleeping in the basement when the troops came and
\ncaught me. They beat me up and left me on the floor,\" he claimed.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment, Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho
\nDjajoesman told reporters separately that neither the police nor
\nthe military could be condemned for the attack.<\/p>\n
\"That hospital protects people who have been destructive, and
\nit takes care of them. Why blame our police or the Army for what
\nthey did,\" Noegroho said.<\/p>\n
\"Anyway, for whatever damage was caused, I apologize. I still
\nthink that the hospital should not shelter people who are
\ndestructive,\" the officer said.<\/p>\n
According to chairman of the Jakarta Hospital Foundation,
\nRoyono Murad, the hospital -- due to damage caused during the
\nbrutal attack -- might not be able to carry out any medical
\nsurgery for two and a half months at least.<\/p>\n
\" ... and we cannot except inpatients\", Rayono said.<\/p>\n
However, he decided not to file a law suit against the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
In response to Noegroho's remarks, Royono said: \"We were not
\nhiding anyone here. They were people asking for help and
\nhospitals do have a social function. We cannot send people away,\"<\/p>\n
The raid at the hospital, which has been giving first aid to
\ninjured protesters during clashes with troops during the past few
\nmonths, immediately sparked anger from different parties.<\/p>\n
\"The move was against international humanitarian law,\" cried
\nchairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Bambang
\nWidjoyanto.<\/p>\n
\"Even in the circumstance of war, the law rules some areas
\nmust be protected by both warring parties among others
\nhospitals,\" he told a press conference.<\/p>\n
Andi Panca, a radio journalist, was also attacked during the
\nmidnight raid by the military.<\/p>\n
\"They fired tear gas shots at the room while hitting some
\njournalists and those students with stick batons,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bambang said the Indonesia Military (TNI) Commander Gen.
\nWiranto and the National Police chief Gen Roesmanhadi, should be
\nheld responsible for the attack. (04\/asa\/ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/frustrated-troops-storm-jakarta-hospital-1447893297",
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