Books on Situbondo riot circulate in East Java

Books on Situbondo riot circulate in East Java

SURABAYA (JP): The military has launched an investigation into
the circulation of a classified book analyzing the background to
the riot in the East Java town of Situbondo last October.

The book Keresahan Situbondo (The Situbondo Unrest) which has
reportedly been circulating in East Java was written by Choirul
Anam, an activist with Ansor, the youth wing of the Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU).

Choirul told The Jakarta Post that he only produced seven
copies of the books and these were given to specific persons in
the provincial administration, the military and top leaders of
NU.

He said he had no idea how copies of the book had fallen into
the wrong hands. He said the copies had been corrupted and
contents had been changed from the original version.

"I'm not responsible for those fake books," he said.

Sources familiar with the book said there are now three
different versions of the book in circulation.

The regional military command has issued an appeal for those
in possession of the book to hand them over to the authorities.

"The book can create unrest among the public," Maj. Gen. Imam
Utomo, chief of the Brawijaya Command, said Friday.

He believed that students and activists have been reprinting
and distributing the book.

Sources said the 48-page book analyzes the Situbondo unrest.
It concluded that the unrest was the result of a conspiracy by
four different groups.

The thesis, conducted by Choirul and friends at Ansor, was
intended to counter early accusations that the riot was
instigated by members of Nahdlatul Ulama.

Choirul said he had no intention of creating more unrest by
producing the book. The book was intended to provide additional
material to officials investigating the riot, he said.

Choirul, currently managing editor of Semesta magazine, had
written a number of reports in the past about Nahdlatul Ulama. He
also wrote an analysis on the conflict between the organization's
leaders, chairman Abdurrahman Wahid and his challenger Abu Hasan.

The Situbondo riot on Oct. 10, saw many churches, Christian
schools and orphanages, and a Buddhist temple set on fire as well
as government-owned property.

Several people who took part in the riot have been convicted
but analysts say the authorities have yet to arrest and convict
the real masterminds. (25/emb)