Death toll up to 14 after more bodies found

JAKARTA (JP): Eight more bodies were found in the gutted remains of Ketapang 11 amusement center on Jl. K.H. Zainul Arifin in Ketapang, West Jakarta, on Monday, bringing the death toll from Sunday's riots to at least 14.

Two of the eight bodies recovered belonged to people believed to have suffocated to death in the toilet on the ground floor of the four-story amusement center. The other bodies were found on the second and third floors of the building, Sani, a witness, said.

Seven of the dead were identified as Agus, Jimmy, Anthony, Hermawan, Yusuf, Freddy and Supriyanto. A badly burned eighth body has yet to be identified.

The seven bodies, believed to belong to employees of the amusement center, were sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital for post mortem examinations.

Zainuddin Nur, a relative of Agus, confirmed that Agus was the duty manager covering the Sunday morning shift at the amusement center when the attack took place.

"He might have tried to escape through the toilet window when the fire broke out, but he would have been able to get out because there was an angry mob gathered in front of the building," he said.

The 19-year-old Agus, a resident of Jl. Sawah Lio in the Jembatan Lima subdistrict in West Jakarta, had worked at the amusement center for over a year, he said.

"When Agus did not return home on Sunday night, his parents made some checks and discovered that he had died. They are deeply shocked by their son's death," Zainuddin said.

The situation in Ketapang was still tense on Monday. Local people armed with swords, sharpened bamboo poles, sharp iron bars and wooden sticks were seen standing guard at gates throughout the area.

Many Christian schools stayed closed on Monday following the deadly rioting in which 13 churches were attacked or set on fire. A number of school buildings and other premises including banks and a hotel were also damaged or set alight.

Large numbers of troops and riot police were visible in the area on Monday, but there were no reports of unrest.

Dozens of armed Moslems were seen gathered near the Khairil Biqa mosque. On Sunday, rumors that the mosque had been set on fire by Ambonese security guards who worked at the amusement center sparked the tragic riots.

In fact, the mosque had a window smashed in a minor altercation between the guards and members of the mosque's congregation.

The armed residents, who called themselves the "Front Pembela Umat Islam" (Moslem Defenders Front), said on Monday that they were ready for any counter attacks launched by the Ambonese.

Several people were seen sifting through the remains of burnt churches on Jl. K.H. Zainul Arifin.

Johannes Linandi, a priest at the Kristus Jemaat Ketapang church, said he was saddened by the incident.

He said that he would meet with the church board before deciding whether to rebuild the structure, most of which was destroyed by fire.

A priest at the Pantekosta church on the same street refused to comment on the incident, but fear could be seen in his face.

Shops, offices and amusement centers in the area remained closed on Monday in fear that fresh rioting would erupt.

City police detectives chief Col. Gories Mere said on Monday that at least 182 of 300 Ambonese people caught up in Sunday's clashes had been evacuated and were being sheltered temporarily at the Police Mobile Brigade headquarters in Kelapa Dua, Depok, to the south of here.

According to the latest data from the city administration, 14 people died and 23 were injured during the riots.

Six of the 23 injured are being treated at Tarakan, Sumber Waras, Husada and Gatot Subroto hospitals.

Six bodies recovered on Sunday evening were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM). They were identified as Stevi Victor Subitmele, Jimmy S., Izak Kaihatu, Yonas Mostamu, Jefri Yelauri and Tahan Manahan Simatupang.

Tahan, a 22-year-old who worked as a guard in the gutted amusement center, was killed by a mob shortly after being interrogated at a local community leader's house on Sunday evening.

His body was found on Jl. Pembangunan I late on Sunday. He had been severely beaten and stabbed a number of times.

Tahan's father, Bismar Simatupang, howled in sorrow as he identified his son's body at the RSCM morgue on Monday.

"He was a man with a low IQ. Poor Tahan. If he died, it was God's will. But one of his ears was cut off!" he said.

"He was not able to graduate from elementary school because of his poor intellect. He just used to play with birds every day," he recalled.

Tahan, a resident of Cempaka Putih Timur subdistrict, was caught by residents on Sunday. During questioning at the local neighborhood chief's house, he claimed that he worked for three men called Beni, Supardi and Lukman. He said he was employed to guard their amusement centers, including Ketapang 11. My main task was to recruit bodyguards who were each paid Rp 40,000 a day, he reportedly said.

National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar told reporters that police intend to question the Ambonese people currently being sheltered at the Mobile Brigade headquarters in Kelapa Dua.

"None of them have been named as suspects, but we'll question them nevertheless," Togar said.

The Ambonese people were given police protection after they took refuge from the mob inside the nearby Gajah Mada Plaza on Sunday.

Togar said it was difficult to bring people to justice after outbreaks of mass unrest, claiming it was almost impossible to point the finger at specific individuals.

"It's very hard. Some people might have willfully taken part while others were just passing through the scene of the trouble. It takes time but we'll try to identify who masterminded the attack," Togar said. (ivy/jun/ylt/emf/edt)