Lombok remains tense<\/p>\n
MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara (JP): Lombok island remained tense
\non Wednesday as sporadic looting and arson continued in Mataram,
\ndespite efforts to quell the unrest which has lasted for three
\ndays.<\/p>\n
As of Wednesday afternoon, dozens of houses had been torched
\nor vandalized by angry mobs.<\/p>\n
The situation in Senggigi resort also remained uneasy as two
\nrestaurants, two discotheques and an art gallery lay looted.<\/p>\n
The violence has driven over 3,000 residents and foreign
\ntourists out of the island, most of them to neighboring Bali
\nisland.<\/p>\n
National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo said after a
\nmeeting at the governor's office with local religious and
\ncommunity leaders in Mataram that stern measures will be taken
\nagainst anyone attempting to incite unrest.<\/p>\n
\"We'll shoot the rioters and looters,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
Police say so far two alleged rioters have been shot dead and
\nat least 150 people detained.<\/p>\n
The identities of the victims are still unknown.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo also praised the support of local religious
\nleaders for the police's firm stance.<\/p>\n
The clashes began on Monday after 5,000 people gathered to
\nprotest the ongoing violence in Maluku. The gathering, however,
\nquickly developed into a religiously charged riot and the
\nparticipants later attacked churches and other places suspected
\nof being Christian places of worship.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo claimed that a \"certain group of people outside
\nthe province\" were behind the riot. However, when pressed
\nfurther, he said police were still collecting information and
\nthat there was currently insufficient evidence to reveal those
\nallegedly behind the incident.<\/p>\n
\"The key is that a peaceful gathering suddenly turned violent.
\nSo there must be something wrong here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
West Nusa Tenggara Police chief Col. Sukandri claimed the
\nsituation on the island was gradually returning to normal, but
\nadded that sporadic arson was still likely to occur.<\/p>\n
Just minutes after the meeting ended at midday, a house
\nbelonging to an Indonesian of Chinese descent -- located less
\nthan a kilometer away from the venue of the meeting -- was looted
\nby a mob.<\/p>\n
The contents of the house were dragged into the middle of the
\nstreet and then torched.<\/p>\n
Looting of shops also occurred in the business and commercial
\ncenters of Jl. Erlangga, Jl. RA Kartini and Karang Bedil area,
\ncollectively known as the downtown of Mataram.<\/p>\n
Hotel staff, taking every precaution they deemed necessary,
\nerected signs reading \"God is Great\" in front of their
\nestablishments.<\/p>\n
Lombok island has been touted as a complimentary holiday
\ndestination to its neighbor, the resort island of Bali.<\/p>\n
But this week, as a result of the violence, the Japanese and
\nAustralian governments issued warnings against their nationals
\nvisiting the island.<\/p>\n
The head of the provincial office of the Ministry of Tourism
\nand Arts, Jodi S. Soesilo, said there were about 300 foreign
\ntourists staying in six hotels, namely Hotel Intan, Holiday Inn,
\nJayakarta, Senggigi Beach, Novotel and Sheraton Senggigi.<\/p>\n
Their nationalities include Australian, British, Dutch,
\nFrench, Japanese and American.<\/p>\n
\"From these 300 foreign tourists, 120 of them have been
\nevacuated today (Wednesday),\" Jodi said.<\/p>\n
Many have already left on the only charter boat available to
\nBali, the Bounty Cruise.<\/p>\n
\"We have shuttled over 2,000 passengers from Tuesday night to
\nWednesday morning,\" Gede Wirata, the ship's owner, told The
\nJakarta Post by telephone from Denpasar.<\/p>\n
Sources at Selaparang Airport in Mataram said it was open 24
\nhours to serve anxious passengers. Members of the Paskhas Air
\nForce Special Unit were seen tightly guarding the airport.<\/p>\n
There were eight regular flights, 15 chartered aircraft and
\ntwo Air Force planes available on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
One Australian evacuee, Brendan O'Brien, told ABC radio here
\nhow he fled Lombok's tourist area as mobs trucked into the area
\nand threw petrol bombs.<\/p>\n
\"It was very organized,\" he claimed, adding that he witnessed
\nviolent clashes between \"extremists wearing headbands and the
\npolice\".<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
\nSecurity Gen. Wiranto pledged the government will continue taking
\ntough measures against those who violate the law.<\/p>\n
\"But this must run both ways. Do not merely blame security
\npersonnel if law-breaking incidents take place. The people must
\nalso abide by the law,\" Wiranto said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, security forces in the East Javanese provincial
\ncapital of Surabaya decided to temporarily ban any activity
\ninvolving mass gatherings of people.<\/p>\n
Surabaya Police Chief Col. Bambang Sutrisno said several
\nchurches were also being tightly guarded.(nur\/zen\/edt\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lombok-remains-tense-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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