Terrified senior citizens held hostage for a third day<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The violent attack on the century-old Pniel nursing home on Jl.
\nSamanhudi in Central Jakarta apparently has not satisfied the
\nunidentified attackers, who smashed their way in on Thursday and
\nremain holed up there alongside dozens of terrified senior
\ncitizens.<\/p>\n
As of Saturday afternoon, some 30 men were still essentially
\noccupying the compound, milling around ominously in the garden.<\/p>\n
The thugs managed to break down several sections of the wall
\nthat surrounds the compound. Most of the holes in the wall are
\nlocated near the rooms where 71 of the patients sleep.<\/p>\n
The nursing home director Stien Hitipeuw said on Saturday that
\nthe thugs had been loitering around the nursing home for over a
\nweek, as a protracted legal dispute -- reportedly with Bank Artha
\nGraha -- over the ownership of the building and the valuable
\n7,000-square-meter plot of land seems to be coming to a violent
\nresolution. The value of the land itself is estimated at
\napproximately Rp 70 billion, (about US$ 8.3 million)<\/p>\n
Stien implied that there was a strong indication that the
\npresence of the thugs was connected to the land dispute with
\nArtha Graha, which is controlled by controversial businessman
\nTomy Winarta. However, it was unclear who ordered the attack, and
\nthe thugs refused to answer any questions from journalists at the
\nnursing home.<\/p>\n
Stien could not hide her disgust of the police for their total
\nlack of a response and seeming disregard of the horror that the
\n71 residents were experiencing.<\/p>\n
\"Our greatest weapon is prayer. God will help us,\" she said to
\nall the residents during a sermon on Saturday morning at the
\nChristian-affiliated home.<\/p>\n
The senior citizens defiantly gathered in the garden in full
\nview of the thugs who have been terrorizing them, to sing hymns
\nand pray.<\/p>\n
Stien speculated that another strike could be imminent
\nSaturday night.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Central Jakarta Police deputy chief Adj. Comr.
\nRicky F. Wakanno claimed by phone that his office had deployed
\nofficers to the location, however, local journalists there did
\nnot see one police officer on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"I will personally check the location and coordinate with the
\nSawah Besar subprecinct to prevent further attacks,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The attack, which was broadcast throughout on national TV, has
\nworried many of the patients' relatives, some of whom quickly
\nrushed to the nursing home.<\/p>\n
One family member, Semiati, 35, saw the news on TV on Saturday
\nmorning and left her office to check on her mother, Kamina, 78.<\/p>\n
After watching the TV news, Semiati had the impression that
\nthe nursing home was totally demolished and there could have been
\nfatalities. She felt relieved that her mother was in reasonably
\ngood condition and that nobody has been physically assaulted yet.<\/p>\n
Kamina -- who has lived in Southeast Asia's oldest nursing
\nhome, originally named Diaconie Hofjie, for the past five years
\n-- was intensely frightened during the attack and still remains
\nnearly in a state of shock.<\/p>\n
\"This is a place where old people live. Why are they doing
\nthis to our home?,\" she asked through her tears.<\/p>\n
Kamina's used to live with her family, but she sold the family
\napartment in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, five years ago, and
\nmoved to Pniel.<\/p>\n
\"Mother wouldn't have to live in this nursing house if she
\nhadn't sold the apartment. Now we don't have a real family
\nhouse,\" said Semiati.<\/p>\n
Kamina quickly replied, \"I admit it was my mistake. I'm sorry
\nso please don't bring it up ever again.\"<\/p>\n
She added that she was quite upset and worried about where she
\nwould live if the thugs succeeded in kicking her out.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/terrified-senior-citizens-held-hostage-for-a-third-day-1447893297",
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