Angry mob attacks election official's home in Pekalongan

Angry mob attacks election official's home in Pekalongan

PEKALONGAN, Central Java (JP): An angry mob of about 200
people ransacked the home of a government official for failing to
register them for next month's election, officials said
yesterday.

The incident happened at about 7 p.m. when the mob raided the
home of Abdul Halim Hadi, head of the local voters registration
committee.

Pekalongan district military chief Lt. Col. Tri Haryono said
the mob, armed with sticks and stones, smashed windows and doors.
They took out the official's belongings and set them on fire.

Abdul Halim, his wife and their three children escaped the
violence. The attack stopped only when hundreds of security
officers arrived at the scene.

No arrests were made, according to Haryono. An officer on duty
at the Pekalongan military district office told The Jakarta Post
that 30 soldiers were deployed around the village hall yesterday
in anticipation of more violence.

He said the authorities had identified the masterminds, adding
that it was yet to be determined if the violence was politically
motivated.

Village secretary Khaeroni said the mob was dissatisfied with
an official's explanation on why they could no longer be
registered as voters in the upcoming election.

Buaran district chief Chusnul Makrom reportedly defended
Abdul Halim, saying "the residents had been repeatedly visited
and summoned to register but they did not show up".

The registration of voters throughout Indonesia opened on May
1 and closed on July 27 last year.

Pekalongan, a predominantly Moslem town, has repeatedly been
hit by unrest over the past few weeks. The violence was triggered
by rivalry between the dominant Golkar and the United Development
Party (PPP).

The coastal town is also known as a PPP stronghold, which won
the 1992 election.

Previous unrest hit Pekalongan Sunday when hundreds of people
attacked the office of the deputy governor.

Wearing PPP T-shirts and armed with sticks and rocks, they
wrecked furniture and smashed window panes, eyewitnesses said.
Terrified security guards fled to avoid a clash.

In Surakarta, a Golkar street rally was pelted with stones
Sunday.

Police said several Golkar supporters and a police officer
were injured and a motorcycle was heavily damaged. (har/aan/wah)