Vehicles, shops damaged in rival district brawl<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Residents of the Palmeriam and Berlan
\nsubdistricts, who have been embroiled in a 30-year conflict,
\nfought again Sunday night, burning at least one car and damaging
\ntwo other vehicles and nearby shops.<\/p>\n
Dozens of residents from both East Jakarta neighborhoods,
\nwhich are separated by Jl. Matraman, began throwing stones at
\neach other at about 8:30 p.m. No casualties were reported.<\/p>\n
\"No fatalities were found on either side. But a car was set
\nablaze and several buildings were damaged due to the stone-
\nthrowing,\" the chief of the East Jakarta police precinct, Lt.
\nCol. Nanan Soekarna, was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
He said three people were questioned but no one was detained
\nin connection with the brawl.<\/p>\n
The burned car belonged to Yusron Muluk, a resident of Sumur
\nBatu, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, who had parked it in Palmeriam
\nsubdistrict.<\/p>\n
The angry residents dispersed as soon as they saw the arrival
\nof hundreds of officers from local police precincts and military
\nunits.<\/p>\n
Nanan said the brawls first occurred in the 1960s, when ethnic
\ntensions between residents of the two neighborhoods were running
\nparticularly high.<\/p>\n
\"The older generations have reached an agreement to forge good
\nand friendly relations, but unfortunately the younger generations
\nignore it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wafi, 51, from Palmeriam, echoed Nanan's view. He expressed
\nconcern over the attitude of the youths who were involved in the
\nbrawl.<\/p>\n
Other residents said that the fighting continued because young
\npeople wanted to prove they were not afraid of their age-old
\nenemies.<\/p>\n
The East Jakarta military district commander, Lt. Col.
\nSuharsono, said that he had tried to act as a mediator between
\nthe two subdistricts.<\/p>\n
\"We have invited influential figures from the two sides to
\nseveral meetings to help solve the brawling, but unfortunately it
\ncontinues regardless,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wafi stressed that Sunday night's incident was sparked by
\nresidents of Berlan. No one from Palmeriam were seen hanging
\naround the streets. \"Possibly because they were angry to see no
\none from Palmerian, they started the stone-throwing and damaged
\nthe car,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police officers were seen guarding the site until 10:30 p.m.
\nThey blocked traffic from entering Palmeriam.<\/p>\n
City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang urged the public
\nnot to be provoked by people, who sought to open old wounds.<\/p>\n
\"If they want to be heroes, they should not do that in the
\ncity. We take pity on others, who know nothing about the problem,
\nbut fall victim to their (the brawlers') ineffective action,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The last clash in the area took place during the election
\ncampaign in May. (cst\/hhr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/vehicles-shops-damaged-in-rival-district-brawl-1447893297",
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