Feisal happy with ABRI's riot response

UJUNGPANDANG (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. and Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung defended yesterday security members' tough approach in handling ethnically colored riots in the city last week.

Speaking before local government officials and public religious figures, Yogie said such an approach was meant to uphold regulations.

He criticized political observers for their "immature" condemnations of the security officials' approach.

"Their statements denigrate the state's commitment to uphold the law," he said. "It has weakened security officials' self- confidence in performing their duties," he said.

He also blamed the observers for exaggerating the issues of human rights and democratization in order to attack the government and the Armed Forces.

"They dramatize the fact in a bid to corner the government and the Armed Forces, as if there is no democracy here," he said.

Meanwhile, Feisal said the Armed Forces would take serious action against any violence.

He instructed Wirabuana Regional Military Command -- which oversees all Sulawesi provinces including South Sulawesi -- chief Maj. Gen. Agum Gumelar to increase territorial operations and have a sociopolitical approach in anticipating repeated riots in the future.

"The Alert Command Center should be reactivated," Feisal said.

Both Yogie and Feisal were in the city to take a closer look at the aftermath of the Sept. 15 riots.

The riots began following the murder of 9-year-old Anni Mujahidah Rasulullah by an ethnically Chinese man, Benny, who supposedly was mentally unstable.

A mob then killed Benny and went on a rampage throughout the city. Disruptions continued for at least a couple of days.

The death toll in the riots stands at six victims.

At least eight nightclubs, a Buddhist temple, a Protestant church, 25 shops, 10 cars and 58 motorcycles were burned. Another 1,471 shops, 67 cars and 100 motorcycles were damaged.

Ujungpandang Police Chief Col. Muh. Darus said 516 people had been questioned, but only 55 of them were officially detained for their alleged role in the riots and looting. (31/imn)