Banjarmasin residents ready for poll amid tight security
By Johannes Simbolon
BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan (JP): Residents, recovering from the shock of Friday's riot and arson that claimed 123 lives, are preparing for tomorrow's general election amid rumors of more unrest.
Life proceeded normally until sunset yesterday, when men came out to guard their houses until the curfew came into effect at 10 p.m.
Kalimantan Regional Military Commander Maj. Gen. Namoeri Anoem S. said that security personnel were ready to ensure a safe election, and would get tough on anyone trying to disrupt it.
He said that a "shoot on the spot" order had not been issued, but promised that his personnel would resort to this "last option" if necessary.
Namoeri said locals had nothing to fear.
"The situation is completely under control. Rumors about more arson and attacks in various areas are just that, rumors. Don't help them spread further," he was quoted by Antara as saying after meeting Governor Gusti Hasan Aman.
About 50,000 people rioted in the town last Friday, some of them wore United Development Party (PPP) green and some were Golkar supporters.
The riot began when supporters of Golkar, campaigning for the last time there, paraded noisily on vehicles past the Noor mosque in the town's center.
People, said to have been provoked because campaigning had started before the Friday prayer had finished, rampaged, ransacking and setting ablaze hundreds of houses, several supermarkets, cinemas, hotels, churches, and tens of vehicles.
The Indonesian Council of Ulemas' chairman Hasan Basri said Sunday he had been trapped inside a burning hotel before being rescued about five hours after he had seen the rioting and fires begin.
Police and soldiers regained control of the town after reinforcements arrived from Jakarta late Friday night. On Saturday, they found 121 charred bodies inside the town's largest shopping center, Mitra Plaza, and the remains of two others at the Lima Cahaya supermarket.
Victims
Officials have said the 121 victims were looters who got trapped in the fire. The charred bodies, most of which could not be identified, would be buried in one grave Friday, said South Kalimantan acting police spokesman Kusbini Imbar yesterday.
Kusbini told The Jakarta Post that police had not been prepared for the riot. Only 250 police had been deployed to face the 50,000 rioters.
He said the provincial police force, confident about security in the town, had sent about 100 personnel to Jakarta before Friday to help contain campaign violence in the capital.
"In addition, we didn't have enough teargas cannons and rubber bullets. But we refrained from shooting during the riot to stop the situation worsening," he said.
Kusbini said about 1,000 security personnel from Jakarta and East Kalimantan had arrived since Friday to help guarantee security for the election, and that more reinforcements would arrive.
Police believed the riot was organized by "members of certain organizations" but police were still gathering evidence to capture them, he said without elaboration.
Governor Gusti Hasan Aman has blamed "intellectual actors" for the unrest.
The PPP South Kalimantan branch's chief, Syafriansyah, refused to comment about the unrest: "I will only comment after the election."
In Jakarta, the National Commission on Human Rights' secretary-general, Baharuddin Lopa, announced that a fact-finding team would be sent to Banjarmasin tomorrow.
Lopa said he would lead the team, accompanied by Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsudin, Mohammad Salim, Soetandyo Wignjosoebroto and Asmara Nababan.
Lopa said his team would seek to clarify why there had been differing accounts of riot casualties. Police have said 123 died, while media reports have put the death toll between 133 and 142.
The chairman of the Nusantara legal aid foundation's Jakarta chapter, Desmond J. Mahesa, appealed yesterday for respect and proper identification of the victims labeled "criminals" by National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi.
Desmond had asked Lopa in a meeting to ensure that the rights commission would verify the victims' identities and clear the innocent victims' names in the Banjarmasin riots.
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