Tanah Abang area again hit by clashes<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): At least two youngsters were severely injured in
\ntwo separate clashes between Betawi (native Jakartan) residents
\nof Kebon Melati and occupants of the Mess Cendrawasih boarding
\nhouse from Irian Jaya in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, yesterday
\nafternoon.<\/p>\n
The first clash began at 4.30 p.m. after Farid, a 19-year-old
\nBetawi resident, was attacked by an unidentified youth who lives
\nin the boarding house.<\/p>\n
\"Farid was parking his motorbike near Jl. Mess (now called Jl.
\nPala 5) when he was attacked. His back was badly lacerated when
\nhe was struck with a machete.<\/p>\n
\"Luckily he managed to escape and reported the incident to
\nlocal residents,\" Abdul Mutalib, 48, said.<\/p>\n
The motive for the attack was not clear, but Abdul said that
\nBetawi and Irianese residents in the area had been involved in an
\noften bitter feud for a long time.<\/p>\n
Jl. Mess is opposite Jl. Kebon Melati III where the boarding
\nhouse is located.<\/p>\n
Shortly after news of the attack on Farid spread through the
\nKebon Melati area, Betawi (native Jakartan) residents in the
\narea, including teenagers and housewives, thronged to the
\nboarding house armed with knives and pans and began to throw
\nstones at it.<\/p>\n
While the clash was still going on, another brawl involving
\nyouths erupted on the nearby soccer field.<\/p>\n
Raqif, 19, a Betawi youth, was rushed to Mintohardjo Hospital
\nafter being stabbed in the chest with an arrow by an Irianese
\nteenager.<\/p>\n
Chaidir Rohamsyah, 40, said the incident started when a group
\nof Irianese youths walked onto the field and grabbed the Betawi
\nyouth's football.<\/p>\n
The second incident inflamed the anger of the crowd outside
\nthe Cendrawasih boarding house and they began to rain bricks and
\nother missiles down on the boarding house.<\/p>\n
Nearby Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur resembled a war zone after
\nIrianese residents in the area retaliated.<\/p>\n
\"It was truly chaos,\" Chaidir said.<\/p>\n
Two hundred police officers and 300 military personnel were
\ndispatched to the scene to stop the fighting, but were greeted
\nwith stones thrown by Betawi residents.<\/p>\n
The crowd finally dispersed peacefully at 6.30 p.m.<\/p>\n
None of the Irianese youths involved in the incidents were
\navailable for comment yesterday.<\/p>\n
Part of Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur was temporarily closed by
\nsecurity officers during the clash.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said at
\nthe scene: \"These people are desperate to fight. I do not
\nunderstand how small incidents can escalate into serious clashes
\nlike this.\"<\/p>\n
Both groups of residents promised never to fight again after a
\nsimilar brawl about a month ago, recalled Iman, shaking his
\nhead.<\/p>\n
Iman told reporters that the police were getting tired of the
\nlong-running feud between the two groups in the area and he
\npromised to bring those responsible to justice.<\/p>\n
No arrests had been made by late yesterday evening and police
\nwere still conducting enquiries.<\/p>\n
\"We'll summon representatives of both groups,\" Iman said.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta Mayor Andi Subur Abdullah once said that the
\nmayoralty had discussed the status of the boarding house with the
\nIrian Jaya provincial administration. Irian Jaya authorities are
\npartly responsible for the Cendrawasih boarding house which is
\nhome to 300 people from the country's easternmost province.<\/p>\n
No final decision has been taken on by the mayoralty on the
\nstatus of the troubled boarding house.<\/p>\n
Iman said that yesterday's clash took the number of violent
\nincidents in the area to 15 this year. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tanah-abang-area-again-hit-by-clashes-1447893297",
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