Feuding Manggarai residents given three unpleasant choices
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso offered rival resident groups in Manggarai, South Jakarta, three unpleasant alternatives on Monday unless they immediately settle their long-standing dispute peacefully.
Should they fail to end their continuous brawls, they all would be evicted from the neighborhood and either be driven back to their respective hometowns or required to take part in the government-sponsored transmigration scheme.
Sutiyoso said the last option was that members of the families would be given the opportunity to take part in the renovation projects of the densely populated area, which would probably be developed into low-cost apartments.
Speaking to the media after installing Abdul Mufti as the new South Jakarta mayor to replace Pardjoko, Sutiyoso, however, did not elaborate on the alternatives, which are likely to give the residents no option of continuing to live in their current circumstances.
He only said that he had authorized the newly installed Mayor Abdul Mufti to propose the offers.
"The mayor and the other officials have already started the work. I hope this time it works," the governor said.
The longstanding brawls between residents groups in one of the city's slum areas have become common scenes to locals and authorities.
The clashes are usually sparked by small problem, such as reports of one group mocking or attacking a rival group.
In August, two separate brawls occurred in Bukit Duri and Manggarai, leaving one man injured and seven buildings vandalized.
The first fight took place for no clear reason and the second one was sparked by a report that a member of one group had been beaten up.
Those involved in the second brawl were reportedly armed with air rifles, rocks and crossbows. No residents were detained or questioned after the incident.
On Sept. 9, the house of a policewoman in the Manggarai area was set ablaze during a brawl.
On Sept. 27, a 41-year-old passerby was shot dead by an air rifle bullet during a clash near the Manggarai railroad. The heavy fighting prompted at least 150 households to temporarily abandon their homes and seek refuge from the violence elsewhere.
The local administration claimed that attempts to broker reconciliation between the brawling parties had been initiated repeatedly but all had failed.
The latest effort to introduce a cease-fire was held on Sunday at the state-owned SDN 05 Bukit Duri elementary school on Jl. Peruk Bukit Duri Puteran.
About 500 residents from Manggarai, South Manggarai and Bukit Duri subdistricts attended the ceremony, where representatives from the three subdistricts signed a declaration to stop fighting and to jointly tighten security in the area.
They also agreed to be liable to be punished if the deal collapsed. (ivy)