Allegations of vote-rigging cause riots in Madura

By Ainur Sophiaan and Sirikit Syah

SAMPANG, East Java (JP): Thousands of people, spurred on by vote-rigging allegations, attacked government buildings, police stations and a Golkar office on Madura island Thursday night and early yesterday, police said.

The rioters were believed to be United Development Party (PPP) supporters enraged by perceived vote-rigging to help Golkar win on the predominantly Moslem island.

East Java police spokesman Lt. Col. Sofwat Hadi said fifteen people had been arrested and two sustained wounds from rubber bullets.

He said the two were treated at Surabaya's Dr. Soetomo hospital and that people sustaining "light" injuries were treated at Sampang Hospital.

Riots erupted in the towns of Sampang, Pamekasan and Sumenep.

The worst riot was in Kedungdung, Sampang, where locals were enraged by polling stations opening at 6:30 a.m. instead of 8:00 a.m. and ballot counting starting at 11 a.m. instead of 2 p.m.

Sampang and other towns remained tense throughout yesterday as talks between East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman, military chief Maj. Gen. Imam Utomo, regency government officials and prominent Moslem ulemas ended inconclusively.

The ulemas demanded that voting in Sampang regency be annulled because of alleged widespread vote-rigging. The officials only promised to consider their request.

The midnight riot caused tension to rise in neighboring Surabaya, the country's second largest city, which was gripped yesterday by rumors of riots.

The angry Madurese said that many eligible voters had not received notifications to vote and that officials had counted ballot papers in a subdistrict chief's office instead of in public.

They claimed that many PPP scrutineers were denied permits and not allowed to monitor ballot counting.

They rejected officials' statements that many Madurese who had arrived home from other cities a few days before the election had been too late to get the necessary election forms.

Witnesses said the rampage had broken out in Sampang at about 11 p.m. when a mob threw stones and set fire to government buildings.

Authorities have not yet released damage estimates. But two subdistrict offices, dozens of village administration offices, Bank Jatim, Bank BRI, shops, three police stations and the Sampang Golkar office were among the buildings damaged.

Antara also reported that 13 motorcycles, two cars -- one belonging to the Kedungdung subdistrict chief -- and 12 teachers' houses had been vandalized in Tambelengan.

Rioters also destroyed a bridge connecting Jrengik and Tambelangan subdistricts. Two armored vehicles and dozens of soldiers were deployed in Kedungdung subdistrict.

Shops were closed and 400 soldiers reinforced security forces guarding business districts.

While the religious leaders and government officials met, rumors spread that thousands of people from other regencies would riot again after Friday prayers.

In their talks with local government and military officials, the five ulemas representing the angry locals demanded that ballots be cast again in Sampang regency.

Alawy Muhammad, Madura's most influential ulema and a staunch PPP supporter, told the officials that the riot would not have happened if the government had held a fair election.

"The people should not be blamed for the unrest. We ulemas cannot guarantee that the masses will be able to refrain from rampaging," he said.

Governor Basofi Sudirman said the government would consider a revote.

On Alawy's statement that ulemas could not guarantee that people would refrain from violence, he replied, "If that's the ulemas' stand, we would have to face the rioters."

Ulema Dhoyeir Shah told The Jakarta Post that local officials had favored Golkar like in the 1992 election.

In Surabaya yesterday, shops were closed and bank and church officials were panicked by anonymous telephone callers who threatened rioters would attack.

A church in Widodaren, Tunjungan Plaza and other shopping centers and several gas stations closed and police arrived after callers threatened to set the premises alight.

Maj. Gen. Imam said that everything was under control in Surabaya and Madura.