Youth shot dead in clash with Flores Police<\/p>\n
Jacob Herin, The Jakarta Post, Flores<\/p>\n
Police in East Flores regency clashed with local youths early on
\nMonday, leaving at least one person killed and 12 others wounded.<\/p>\n
The clash started at around 10 p.m. on Sunday and continued
\nuntil early Monday in the regency's capital city of Larantuka,
\nEast Nusa Tenggara province.<\/p>\n
Ali Mustafa Atapukan, 22, was shot dead in the clash, while
\nfour other local youths -- Erik Atapukan, 33, Ibrahim, 28, Hajin
\nK. Boli, 24, and Anis Bethan, 19, sustained gunshot wounds and
\nare receiving intensive medical treatment at the Larantuka
\nGeneral Hospital.<\/p>\n
The 12 injured people included eight police officers -- Luis
\nKarel, Milu, Yopin, Andi Paskal, Mohamad, Roja, Josef Sari and
\nMelki Tukan. All suffered minor wounds after being pelted with
\nstones.<\/p>\n
The motive behind the bloody clash remains unclear.<\/p>\n
East Flores Police chief Adj. Comr. J. Sinurat said on Monday
\nthe scuffle started when a police officer was stopped by a group
\nof youths asking for something on his way home in Kampung Baru
\nvillage, located around 100 meters from his office.<\/p>\n
The police officer rejected the request, prompting the youths
\nto kick him. He later returned to his office to report the case
\nto his superior but the attackers ran after him and hurled stones
\nat the building.<\/p>\n
In a retaliation attack, the police fired warning shots. The
\nshots, however, failed to stop the youths from rioting. Police
\neventually fired at the crowd killing Ali Mustafa and injuring
\nfour of his friends.<\/p>\n
But eye witnesses at the scene -- Iskandar, 65, and Matheus
\nWatu, 54, -- said the clash was provoked by a police officer who
\nwas wearing only shorts and rode a motorcycle.<\/p>\n
He then stopped at a sidewalk kiosk and asked the owner about
\nthe whereabouts of youth gangs in Kampung Baru. As the trader was
\nunable to answer the question, the police officer kicked his
\nkiosk and pelted stones at nearby houses.<\/p>\n
Local residents later appeared and approached him. Some of
\nthem tried to beat him, but some others stopped them and took him
\nto a house for protection.<\/p>\n
A crowd of angry villagers stormed the local police station
\nlocated near the site of the incident, where police personnel
\nfired shots at them.<\/p>\n
The witnesses called for an investigation into the clash and a
\nfirm action against all those involved, so as to prevent further
\nsuch incidents from occurring.<\/p>",
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