Angry soldiers run amok at Senen market

JAKARTA (JP): A group of approximately 40 soldiers, some wearing uniforms and armed with -- among other things -- batons, bayonets and tear gas canisters, angrily stormed Senen market in Central Jakarta on Sunday evening.

Three laborers at the market were seriously wounded and have been treated in the VIP ward of the Cipto Mangunkusumo General hospital.

None of the soldiers have been arrested but Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Timur Pradopo told The Jakarta Post that the case is being investigated by the Military Police.

The attackers' unit could not yet be confirmed but an informed police source, who asked not to be named, said that the soldiers were allegedly from the Army's Heavy Transportation Battalion stationed on Jl. Bungur, Central Jakarta.

"The attackers ran amok because two of their colleagues had just been taken to the market's security post for causing trouble," head of the Central Jakarta police detectives Maj. Budiono Sandi said.

During the attack the soldiers hid their identities, such as their rankings, Budiono said.

"This incident showed the military's arrogance," officer Budiono said.

The incident began early in the evening when the two soldiers were drinking lapo tuak, an alcoholic drink made from fermented coconut milk, at a food stall on the second floor of the market.

"(While drinking) the soldiers also listened to music from a tape recorder at high volume," head of the Senen market security guards Anjun Siagian said.

The two soldiers, identified only as Saiful and Sianipar, were apparently already drunk when Anjun asked them to lower the volume.

"They ignored my request to turn down the volume and, instead, turned up the sound to the highest level," Anjun said.

The security guard then took the two soldiers to his nearby post.

The news then quickly spread to the soldiers battalion's base.

At 7:45 p.m., when the market was already closed, 40 of their colleagues arrived at the scene and quickly became violent. They threw tear gas canisters at anyone on the market's second floor, especially those near the food stall.

The Senen subprecinct police officers, stationed nearby, arrived just 20 minutes later and found only an empty tear gas canister at the site.

The injured victims were identified as follows: Awing, 28, who suffered head and leg wounds, and facial injuries consistent with the use of bayonets; Nopa Sinaga, 26, who was stabbed in his left arm and Mangiring Nainggolan, who suffered extensive bruising to the face and body. (01/05)