Death toll in Banjarmasin riot hits 133
JAKARTA (JP): The death toll in Friday's riot in the South Kalimantan capital of Banjarmasin reached 133 last night as peace and order began to return to the city, police said.
Most of the victims' remains were removed from the second floor of Siola Intimitra shopping complex, Antara reported.
A rescue worker said that no remains were found by him and his teammates when they sifted through the third and fourth floors of the building.
A police officer supervising the removal of the remains said that everything had been sent to three local hospitals for medical examinations to identify the victims. He said the job would be especially difficult because most of the victims were burned beyond recognition.
Police also found a number of sharp weapons around the sprawling heaps of remains.
Local military chief Maj. Gen. Namoeri Anoem said 181 people had been arrested. According to Namoeri, many of the remains were believed to be those of looters trapped in the fire.
The riot was triggered by a clash between supporters of the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) and the government- backed Golkar on Friday.
Initial reports said two people were stabbed to death after rioters went on a rampage during a Golkar rally on Friday.
The police said that 118 people had been admitted to hospitals, many with serious injuries. Twenty-four were discharged from hospital yesterday, they said.
Dozens of shops, government offices and banks were attacked by thousands, many clad in PPP's green T-shirts. The crowd turned violent after Golkar started campaigning before Moslems had finished their Friday prayer.
Damaged state-owned buildings include the Banjarmasin office of state-electricity company PLN, the province's Ministry of Social Services office, the province's water company office, the Banjarmasin state pawn shop, and offices of state-owned banks BDN and BRI.
Lippo Bank, Bank Danamon and Bank Utama offices, six restaurants, two movie theaters and three hotels were other buildings ransacked.
Rioters also looted and burned down Junjung Buih Plaza, Mitra Plaza, Siolatama, Barata Department Store, Arjuna Plaza, Edwen House, Lima Cahaya Department Store and Sudimampir shopping centers, plus a rest home and more than 130 houses in Sasana Santi housing complex on Jl. Pramuka and in the dense Kertak Baru Ulu area.
A Protestant HKBP church was burned down. An elementary school, a junior high school and senior high school buildings and a Catholic church were also damaged.
At least 21 cars and 60 motorbikes were destroyed by fire and another 12 cars and four motorbikes were smashed, according to the police.
Maj. Gen. Namoeri visited riot victims in Ulin general hospital yesterday, where a photographer of local daily Banjarmasin Post, Didik Triomarsidi, and three security officers were among those being treated.
Namoeri said some of the 181 people that had been arrested would be charged for robbery.
He said that security authorities so far had no indication of who had masterminded the riot. "We will keep looking for the roots of the case," he added.
Normalcy had reportedly returned to Banjarmasin yesterday. Taxis were seen around town and business activities resumed in several traditional markets.
In Jakarta, chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI), Hasan Basri, said the rampage should be a warning for Indonesians to control their temper ahead of Thursday's general election.
He denied news reports that he was campaigning for Golkar when the riot broke out.
Basri, together with Minister/Cabinet Secretary Saadilah Mursjid and governor Gusti Hasan Aman, survived the mob violence when rioters set Hotel Kalimantan -- where they were staying -- ablaze.
"I was just scheduled to lead a prayer during the rally," he told a press conference. He denied he favored the dominant political grouping.
Saadilah, in his capacity as a senior Golkar figure, was slated to speak at the rally. But the rally was canceled due to the riot.
Hasan also dismissed rumors that MUI had released an edict allowing Moslems to cancel Friday prayers on May 30. He said that the MUI did announce an edict that permitted Moslems to join midday and afternoon prayers during polling day.
Tension had yet to ease in the small East Java town of Bangil, another place rocked by rioting on the last day of the election campaign on Friday. Dozens of police stood guard vigilantly as most shop owners opted not to resume business.
Hundreds of PPP banners and stickers were visible across the town, some 100 kilometers east of East Java's capital Surabaya.
The PPP's Pasuruan branch office announced yesterday that 15 people were shot when security authorities quelled Friday's riot. Four of them are being treated at Surabaya's Dr. Soetomo Hospital.
Pasuruan military district commander Col. M. Darusman said that financial losses caused by the riot could reach Rp 1 billion (US$418,000). (05/amd/nur)
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