Eight killed in gunfight between police, soldiers

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Binjai, North Sumatra

Binjai, a small town situated some 22 kilometers northwest of Medan, North Sumatra, resembled a war zone from Sunday evening through Monday morning when police and soldiers engaged in a battle that claimed the lives of at least 8 persons.

The victims were identified as police officers Second Insp. Tito Yedarma, Brigadiers Ilham, Marwin, Kurniawan, and Second Sergeant Basartu Sitepu, civilians Abdur Rahman and Rusli, and one Syafri, believed to be a soldier. Six of the victims died in hospitals in Medan.

Eyewitness Agus R. told The Jakarta Post on Monday that the fighting started when three truckloads of soldiers from the Army's 100 Prajurit Setia Airborne unit launched a renewed attack on the Langkat police station at 11 p.m. on Sunday and occupied it shortly afterwards.

The soldiers, who met little resistance from the police, burned the station, along with eight police cars and 25 motorbikes confiscated for traffic violations.

Hours later, the same troops attacked the headquarters of the police's elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) on Jl. Soekarno Hatta, around one kilometer away from the Langkat police station. The soldiers fired rockets at the Brimob headquarters, which was only guarded by 10 police personnel as most Brimob members were assigned to duties in neighboring Aceh.

Agus said at that around 4 a.m. on Monday morning, police reinforcements from Tanjungmorawa, some 40 kilometers south of Binjai, arrived in two Katana cars and two trucks, but they were attacked even before they could start to assist their colleagues.

The conflict started when dozens of soldiers attacked the Langkat police station after police rejected their demand to release a suspected drug user.

The battle forced Binjai's 216,000 residents to stay indoors out of fear, with the town being almost completely deserted. Virtually all shops were closed.

Binjai Mayor Ali Umri ordered all schools there to declare an indefinite holiday until the situation returned to normal.

All roads to Binjai were blocked, and were only reopened at around 10:30 a.m., after the battle had ended at around 9 a.m. on Monday.

North Sumatra Governor T. Rizal Nurdin said Monday that six persons -- consisting of four police officers, one soldier and one civilian -- were killed in the battle, but doctor H.T.M. Fuad, director of the Djoelham Binjai Public Hospital, said that two victims -- one policeman and another civilian -- had not yet been counted.

Fuad also said that it was difficult to evacuate the wounded to Medan as ambulances were unable to get through due to the security situation in Binjai.

Yuliarni, a high school student living just 50 meters away from the Brimob headquarters, said she had been terrified by the shooting.

Langkat Police chief Adj. Sen. Comr. Maman Mulya Karnama said that 61 suspected criminals detained in the police station had escaped, while 1.5 tons of hashish, case dossiers and other important documents had gone missing.

James Sembiring, a local councillor, told the Post on Monday that a group of men in full battle gear stopped him on his way to his office and threatened to burn his car. He was let go after he explained that he was a council member. Nevertheless, his 80 gram gold necklace and 17 gram gold ring were stolen by the assailants.

According to Governor Rizal, he and Bukit Barisan Military Commander Maj. Gen. Idris Gassing, North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Ansyad Mbai, and Binjai Mayor Ali Umri have agreed to settle the case in accordance with the prevailing law.

In Jakarta, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on Monday that the 100 Prajurit Setia Airborne unit would be disbanded if the soldiers were proven to have attacked the police.

"I have instructed the Army chief to investigate and discharge those involved in the attack, and if they are proven to have been involved, this airborne unit may be liquidated," Endriartono was quoted by Antara as saying on Monday.

Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, who arrived in Medan at around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, refused to comment on the incident.

Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Rationo, who was traveling with Ryamizard, said the soldiers were wrong to have attacked the Langkat police station.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Monday that there would be both legal and administrative sanctions applied to all policemen involved in the Langkat incident.

"I have ordered that all troops should be withdrawn and we are trying to settle the case as soon as possible. It will be handled both legally and administratively," Bachtiar said.

He admitted that there had been a lot of disputes between the police and military over the past few years, but that this one was particularly worrying given the number of victims that had fallen.

"Both the TNI chief and I have reported on the case to the President and I am going to Medan to visit the scene," he remarked.