Allegations of vote-rigging cause riots in Madura

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.