Brawl leads to vandalism

Brawl leads to vandalism

JENEPONTO, South Sulawesi (JP): Eighty houses were destroyed
and some 200 people fled their homes on Saturday in Jeneponto
regency, some 120 kilometers north of Makassar, South Sulawesi,
after it was attacked by residents of four neighboring villages
over the death of a fellow villager the day before.

No fatalities were reported.

Adj. Comr. Burhan BP, the chief of operations at Jeneponto
Police, said the brawl started when residents of Bontotangga,
Turatea, Tamanroyak Utara and Tamanroyak Timur attacked the
neighboring village of Tamanroyak in the early hours of Saturday.
A second attack followed at 9 a.m.

The head of Tamanroyak village, Abdul Haris, told The Jakarta
Post that the brawl was in retaliation for the killing on Friday
evening of Sarifuddin Daeng Tangnga, 40, a resident of Turatea
village.

"Tangnga was drunk and made trouble in the area. The villagers
got angry and took action against him."

News of his death reached his relatives.

Hundreds of villagers then attacked Tamanroyak village where
Tangnga was killed. Another police officer said the mob
outnumbered the policemen in Jeneponto. "There were only eight
officers when the attack took place, what could we do?" said the
officer, who requested anonymity.

Police arrested on Saturday three people believed to be
involved in Tangnga's murder, Burhan said. (27)