Fresh riots hit West Java and S. Sumatra towns

BANDUNG (JP): Fresh rioting hit the West Java town of Pangalengan yesterday while unrest continued in the South Sumatra subdistrict of Pagaralam.

In Pangalengan, police arrested three people on charges of inciting the riot in which eight shops were attacked and looted before the situation was brought under control.

The riot coincided with a mass strike by bus drivers protesting against spiraling prices of essential commodities and auto parts.

Eye witnesses said people were seen loitering around in several places waiting for buses. They turned violent after being provoked to riot by another group of people.

The mob threw stones at shops and houses. Dozens of security officers quickly moved in to disperse the 200 rioters.

Rumors of imminent riot abounded in Bandung, but came to nothing. Security officers were visible in strategic areas of this city.

Meanwhile, the South Sumatra town of Pagaralam, 200 kilometers south of the capital Palembang, remained tense yesterday after being rocked with violent protests at price increases Sunday.

AP reported that a mob damaged three shops belonging to entrepreneurs of Chinese descent.

Security was tight and shops remained closed throughout yesterday, the report said.

In Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, police said 56 people have been arrested in connection with riots on Feb. 8, in which dozens of shops were set on fire.

In East Java, the police warned that they would not hesitate to shoot rioters "who pose a great danger to others".

"Why not (shoot them)? That is justifiable, shoot on sight," police spokesman, Lt. Col. Soetrisno T.S., was quoted by Antara as saying.

He was commenting on the possibility of unrest and rioting following massive redundancies among the province's workforce.

However, he added that the authorities would always follow the standard procedures.

Soetrisno said the police were trying to track down people who spread rumors of bomb scares in East Java.

Rumors of bomb threats, including several department stores in Malang and Surabaya and a hotel in Sidoarjo, have been circulating these past few days.

Soetrisno said the rumor-mongers would be charged with subversion if arrested.

"But of course, this needs thorough investigation. We are currently still investigating", he said.

These bomb threats, he said, show that there are certain parties trying to create instability in the province, particularly prior to the upcoming general session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

"It is still too early for us to name a group. We are trying our best to identify them," he said.

From Medan, North Sumatra, the provincial Chief of Police, Brig. Gen. M.A. Sambas, confirmed yesterday that the riot in Padang Sidempuan last week was sparked by recent price increases. (21/43/yac/byg)