Refugees flee Riau riot<\/p>\n
BATAM ISLAND, Riau: Thousands on Thursday fled to Batam and
\nmainland Riau following a riot which swept the town of Selat
\nPanjang on Tebing Tinggi Island.<\/p>\n
Antara further reported that some 1,200 had fled to Karimun
\nIsland.<\/p>\n
\"The refugees who came here have been welcomed at the Maha
\nVihara Duta Maitreya, a Buddhist monastery. It is spontaneous
\nassistance,\" the manager of the Batam-based Association of
\nChinese Indonesians (PSMTI) Yohanes told The Jakarta Post on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Yohanes said the monastery, which is the biggest in Southeast
\nAsia, can accommodate about 30,000 people. The refugees, however,
\npreferred to stay with their own relatives there.<\/p>\n
The riot erupted on Sunday with vigilante mobs torching shops
\nand buildings which the rioters claimed were venues for gambling
\nand prostitution.<\/p>\n
The anarchy spread and a total of 115 shops, four schools and
\nseveral discotheques were gutted.<\/p>\n
The mobs took the law into their own hands after claiming that
\nthe police had done nothing to stop the gambling and
\nprostitution.<\/p>\n
Most of those who fled are believed to be ethnic Chinese shop
\nowners and businessmen in Selat Panjang.(26)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/refugees-flee-riau-riot-1447893297",
"image": ""
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