Several cities count the cost of recent riots<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As normality returned, several towns shook by
\nunrest following Megawati Soekarnoputri's defeat in the
\npresidential election began to count the losses on Friday.<\/p>\n
Badung regent I Gusti Bagus Alit Putra said two days of
\nrioting on Wednesday and Thursday had cost his province billions
\nof rupiah.<\/p>\n
\"We did not expect this to happen again. The (unrest) was an
\noutburst of mass spontaneity,\" Alit told Antara in Badung, which
\nabuts Denpasar, the capital of Bali.<\/p>\n
Economic activities on the island of paradise were back to
\nnormal as traditional markets, shops and supermarkets reopened.<\/p>\n
\"We're also beginning to pull back a company of elite Mobile
\nBrigade Police as calm has resumed here,\" Bali Police Intelligent
\nUnit chief Col. M. Sitorus, said.<\/p>\n
Riots rocked Bali, the popular traditional political
\nstronghold of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan), paralyzing the capital of Denpasar with looting
\nand arson. Disturbances also erupted in the areas of Badung,
\nBuleleng and Jembrana regency.<\/p>\n
Antara also reported that the Gilimanuk ferry port returned to
\nnormal operations on Friday. Dozens of ships had halted
\noperations and berthed at the docks of Ketapang port a day
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
The Gilimanuk port connects Bali with the two main ports of
\nKetapang in Madura and Banyuwangi, East Java.<\/p>\n
Riots in Surakarta, also a political stronghold of PDI
\nPerjuangan, caused at least Rp 14 billion in losses, Surakarta
\nregent Imam Soetopo said.<\/p>\n
The regent was forced to conduct his duties under a tree after
\nhis office was attacked on Wednesday. Some 2,800 staff of the
\nmayoralty office worked in temporary shelters.<\/p>\n
\"I and all subordinates here are always ready to serve the
\npeople. There is no holiday despite the fact that our office was
\ndamaged,\" Soetopo told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said he regretted the brutal action. \"I'm not sure that
\nMbak (Sister) Megawati's supporters ran amok and set all the
\nbuildings on fire. There must be those who do not like the
\ncurrent government,\" Soetopo said.<\/p>\n
An inmate of Surakarta Penitentiary, identified as Encik,
\nsurrender himself to police after escaping from the prison with
\n22 others during the Wednesday riot, Surakarta City Police chief
\nLt. Col. Roby Kaligis said on Friday. On Thursday police netted
\nLoso, one of the fugitives at his house in Karanganyar.<\/p>\n
\"So far police have arrested 33 suspects involved in the
\nWednesday fray,\" said Surakarta Regional Police chief Col. Aris
\nSampurno Jati.<\/p>\n
Megawati's failure to clinch the presidency led to five
\nmayoralty legislative council members representing PDI Perjuangan
\nannouncing their retirement.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, about 10,000 security troops and civilian militia
\nmembers of PDI Perjuangan were deployed to secure the return of
\nthousands of supporters from Jakarta, according to Central Java
\nPolice spokesman Lt. Col. Ramli El Aris.<\/p>\n
\"We have secured particularly Java's north coastal lane and
\nvarious railway stations as well as bus terminals to prevent any
\nclashes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In Batam, Riau Police chief Brig. Gen. M. Arifin Rachim said
\nthat riots had caused at least Rp 337 million in losses. \"Eleven
\nalleged rioters have been netted during the fray,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In Medan, North Sumatra, people started their day as usual
\nfollowing Megawati's election as vice president.
\n(39\/45\/44\/har\/zen\/edt)<\/p>",
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