Parts of Batam deserted after riots, killing<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam<\/p>\n
The situation in certain strategic areas in Batam is still tense
\nfollowing three ethnic riots that rocked the island over the
\nweekend.<\/p>\n
Nagoya, a large shopping center, and the Sekupang Seaport, two
\ncrowded public areas, were deserted, with no signs of public
\ntransportation, ojek (motorcycle taxis) or hoodlums while dozens
\nof security personnel were on alert at the two locations.<\/p>\n
Many locals were reluctant to go out on the streets or to go
\nto the shopping center for fear of fresh riots following the
\nthree brawls among several ethnic groups on the island on Friday
\nand Saturday last week.<\/p>\n
Tensions mounted on Tuesday when scores of youths using
\nmilitary uniforms ransacked the population control office to
\nprotest the local administration's policy of barring people from
\nother parts of the country from migrating to the island.<\/p>\n
At least 56 protesters, all members of the Panca Marga Youth
\nOrganization (PPM) were detained by local police for further
\nquestioning.<\/p>\n
Last Friday, some 700 Javanese people ran amok to protest the
\nextortion by hoodlums of ojek drivers in the Nagoya shopping
\ncenter.<\/p>\n
Sugeng, a protester, said the angry mob was seeking hoodlums
\nwho routinely extort money from ojek drivers, who are mostly
\nJavanese.<\/p>\n
\"We could not longer tolerate the rife extortion of Javanese
\npeople who earn their living from such a profession (ojek
\ndrivers). Patience has its limits,\" he said in an emotional tone.<\/p>\n
Sugeng said the ojek drivers ran amok because a hut where they
\nusually stay while waiting for passengers was ransacked by
\nhoodlums.<\/p>\n
The rioters also ransacked a small house where the hoodlums
\nusually gather.<\/p>\n
The angry mob dispersed after dozens of security personnel
\nwere deployed to bring the situation under control.<\/p>\n
On the same day, a group of Flores people assaulted a number
\nof Batak hoodlums in Sekupang Seaport, leaving one dead and two
\nothers seriously injured.<\/p>\n
A Flores youth, whose wallet was stolen by a Batak hoodlum
\nwhen he was disembarking from a ship the Kelud, anchored off the
\nisland en route from Jakarta to Belawan, Medan, came back with
\nhis Flores friends to exact revenge against the thief.<\/p>\n
A violent clash ensued. Saido, 25, was killed instantly while
\nRudianto, 26, and Muhammad Suryani, 26, suffered serious head
\ninjuries.<\/p>\n
On Saturday night, a violent clash also occurred between
\nmostly Minangkabau taxi drivers, and drivers of unlicensed
\npassenger minivans near the Bida Ayu housing compound, located
\nnear the Batamindo industrial zone. No fatalities were reported
\nbut a minivan was torched in the incident.<\/p>\n
Sr. Comr. Suhartono, chief of the Barelang Police precinct,
\nsaid the four incidents were regrettable, saying the island was
\nquite prone to ethnic riots because of the presence of various
\nethnic groupings and organizations.<\/p>\n
\"People of different ethnic backgrounds have their own group
\nor organization and any problem faced by one of their members is
\nusually handled by the organization,\" he said citing that many
\nsuch incidents of ethnic violence have occurred in the past.<\/p>\n
In June, 1999, more than 10 people were killed in a bloody
\nriot between Flores and Batak people and between Minangkabau and
\nBatak people. Last year, a clash also occurred between Batak and
\nMalay people.<\/p>\n
Many people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds have
\nmigrated to Batam since the government developed the island
\nbordering Singapore and Malaysia into an industrial area and
\ntourist destination.<\/p>\n
The 5,000 plus local and foreign companies on the island
\nemploy more than 400,000 workers who come from numerous
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
Of the 750,000 residents on the island, 95 percent are from
\ndifferent ethnic groups across the country.<\/p>\n
Suhartono warned that the ethnic issue was a time bomb that
\ncould explode unless properly handled.<\/p>\n
\"The local police will continue to take strict measures in
\naccordance with the law in handling such cases,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir said he was lobbying ethnic figures on
\nthe island to help solve ethnic problems and to take preventive
\nactions to avoid such problems in the future.<\/p>\n
\"We won't allow such ethnic problems to disturb the inflow of
\nforeign investment to Batam,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He admitted the current ethnic violence had raised serious
\nconcerns among foreign businessmen who have investments on the
\nisland.<\/p>\n
Kadir said that besides controlling the inflow of migrants,
\nlocal authorities would be stricter in enforcing the law on those
\ninvolved in ethnic riots or violence.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parts-of-batam-deserted-after-riots-killing-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}