West Java town rocked by riot<\/p>\n
RENGASDENGKLOK, West Java (JP): Violence jolted this
\nhistorical subdistrict yesterday when thousands of local youths
\nand residents went on a burning and looting rampage.<\/p>\n
No fatalities were reported in the ethnic and sectarian riot
\ncaused by a minor conflict between a group of Moslem youths and a
\nwoman resident of Chinese descent. However, dozens of houses and
\nplaces of worship as well as office buildings and vehicles were
\neither damaged or burned.<\/p>\n
Chief of West Java Police Maj. Gen. Nana Permana said 76
\nhouses and 72 shops were destroyed by the angry mob. Another 19
\ncars were damaged and seven other vehicles burned.<\/p>\n
The rioters damaged three churches and burned another. Two
\nBuddhist monasteries were also damaged and burned in the
\nviolence, Nana said.<\/p>\n
The unrest originated from a quarrel between the Chinese
\nwoman, called Go Wie or Giok, and a group of youths making noise
\nto wake Moslem residents for the pre-dawn meal (sahur) -- taken
\nbefore fasting all day -- around 2.30 a.m.<\/p>\n
The 49-year-old woman shouted at the youths; a fierce quarrel
\nerupted and, later, stones were hurled by both parties.<\/p>\n
Several hours later around 100 youths and other residents
\ngathered and attacked the woman's house. Some officials said the
\nnumber swelled to around 3,000.<\/p>\n
Local security personnel tried to disperse the crowd, forcing
\nthe mob to move on, committing violence elsewhere. They
\nreportedly employed \"hit and run\" tactics, attacking one
\nbuilding, scattering, then attacking another.<\/p>\n
The unrest was contained around 2 p.m. after authorities
\ndeployed 500 soldiers and 300 policemen.<\/p>\n
Nana said it had not been necessary to impose a night curfew
\non the subdistrict. \"This is the fasting month. People need go to
\nmosques in the evening for tadarusan (reading and learning the
\nHoly Koran). How can we prevent them?\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said 25 people had been detained for questioning. He said
\nhe had no information on Giok's whereabouts, although sources
\nsaid she was already under police protection.<\/p>\n
Rengasdengklok is well-known for the important role its people
\nplayed in the struggle for independence from Japan in 1940s;
\nfirst president Sukarno and vice president Hatta were brought by
\na group of young fighters to Rengasdengklok to protect them from
\nthe Japanese.<\/p>\n
Comments<\/p>\n
Moslem scholar Amien Rais called on Indonesian Moslems to
\nrestore peace and refrain from violence. \"By exercising self
\nrestraint, half of the potential unrest in this country would be
\ncontained already because of the massive number of Moslems,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He stressed, however, the need for the government to take
\nstock of the country's situation and exert greater effort to
\nnarrow the economic disparity he believed was behind both
\nyesterday's unrest and earlier incidents.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot rule out the possibility this unrest was encouraged
\nby people seeking to disrupt stability so that the May general
\nelections do not proceed as planned,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also called on leaders still concerned with Indonesia's
\nfuture to use their common sense and restore calm.<\/p>\n
\"This is a large-scale problem and we all need graciousness to
\nsolve it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"I stick to my earlier opinion that the unrest stemmed from
\nsocial frustrations affecting people at the lower levels of
\nsociety,\" he said. \"They have been so deprived socially and
\neconomically they have become like a piece of dry wood, easily
\nset alight.\"<\/p>\n
He said he believed the violence hitting the country recently
\nhad been ignited by \"a great mastermind.\"<\/p>\n
Separately, Army chief of staff Gen. R. Hartono said a third
\nparty had probably been behind the Rengasdengklok riots. He
\nrefused to say whether yesterday's violence was linked to riots
\ndating back to October.<\/p>\n
\"We must take note of the possibility of a third party playing
\na role here because the rioting was not related to the motives
\n(said to have triggered it),\" Hartono said in a breaking of the
\nfast gathering with the Karim Oei Chinese Moslem foundation.<\/p>\n
He did not think there was a single mastermind behind the
\nvarious riots, nor did he think they had occurred for the same
\nreason.<\/p>\n
\"Our investigation so far has yet to come to that conclusion,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Shockwaves were sent through the country Sunday after violence
\nin Siantan Tengah, West Kalimantan involving the attack of the
\noffices of a social organization that runs Catholic schools.
\n(imn\/ahy\/01\/amd\/swe)<\/p>",
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