Manggarai residents agree to hold dialog<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Following Tuesday's bloody clash that claimed
\nthe life of a resident, the two feuding groups at Bukit Duri in
\nManggarai, South Jakarta, have agreed to hold a dialog to solve
\nthe long-running dispute, a city official said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Head of the Bukit Duri subdistrict, Mugeni Sanan, said police
\nand city officials had arranged a meeting between leaders of the
\ntwo opposing groups for Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"I hope the meeting can help solve the feud between the
\ngroups,\" he told The Jakarta Post in his office.<\/p>\n
The Head of Manggarai subdistrict, Bakir Karim, confirmed the
\nplanned meeting. \"The meeting will be held in my office,\" he told
\nthe Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday evening, city officials in the two subdistricts
\ndecided to set up vigilante committees comprising local residents
\nand security officers.<\/p>\n
The two groups of residents in Manggarai were involved in a
\nbloody street brawl on Thursday that left one dead and four
\nothers injured. Four buildings were also damaged.<\/p>\n
During the clash, which was the climax of two previous days of
\nbrawls, several police deployed in the area could do nothing to
\nstop the fighting.<\/p>\n
On Friday morning, police officers were assigned to guard the
\narea. Some stores on the street were open for business as usual,
\nwhile others remained closed, waiting for the situation to calm
\ndown. Some residents were seen repairing the buildings that had
\nbeen set on fire.<\/p>\n
The two groups have fought for years to control the street in
\nManggarai, so they could collect illegal levies from the vendors,
\nMugeni said, adding that their greed was the cause of the feud.<\/p>\n
The two groups had earlier agreed to end their animosity, but
\nthe truce did not last long. Residents of the two subdistricts
\ncontinue to prepare homemade weapons and arrows, Mugeni said.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso<\/p>\n
When asked by reporters on Friday at City Hall to comment on
\nhow to settle the dispute, Governor Sutiyoso refused to reply,
\nbut ordered Mayor Abdul Mufthi to explain the matter to the
\npress.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Mufthi, come over here. Tell the reporters what you will
\ndo to overcome the Manggarai problem,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
Under the gaze of his boss, Mufthi explained that he would
\nsummon leaders from both sites to discuss ways to avoid brawls in
\nthe future.<\/p>\n
He also said that he would suggest that residents hold joint
\nactivities, such as volleyball competitions and art and cultural
\nactivities, to improve mutual understanding among them.<\/p>\n
The mayor said he had no idea why the residents have
\nrepeatedly been involved in brawls, saying they agreed to put a
\nhalt to the dispute by slaughtering a goat a few months ago.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul
\nKahfi said that to avoid further violence, the offer of
\nparticipation in the transmigration program is still open for the
\nresidents.<\/p>\n
Kahfi added that the city administration plans to build a low-
\ncost apartment in the slum area, which is on land belonging to
\nstate railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia, to help improve
\nthe environment.<\/p>\n
\"But the plan is scheduled to be realized in the future for
\nfinancial reasons,\" Kahfi said.<\/p>\n
Kahfi and Mufthi asked police to investigate the brawl and
\narrest the people responsible for the fatality.<\/p>\n
City Councilor Dani Anwar from the Justice Party suggested
\nthat the city administration gather community leaders to discuss
\nthe problem.<\/p>\n
\"We view that local leaders have never been invited to solve
\nthe problems. They are being neglected,\" Dani said.<\/p>\n
He also proposed that the city administration help the
\nresidents to find jobs, since most of them that were involved in
\nthe brawls are unemployed.<\/p>\n
The transmigration program, he said, would not solve the
\nproblem. (04\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/manggarai-residents-agree-to-hold-dialog-1447893297",
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