Governor orders probe of attack

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso said he has ordered officials in East Jakarta to investigate an incident in Cawang, East Jakarta, on Sunday that left three people injured, including a cameraman from a private television station.

"I have told them to investigate. We must take action against these public order officers if they are guilty," Sutiyoso said on Monday.

Three people, including off-duty TV7 cameraman Rahmat Taufik Siregar, claim they were hospitalized after being assaulted by public order officers. Rahmat said he was attacked after asking the officers not to throw rocks at street vendors.

Two other people, Maryadi and Chandra, who attempted to come to the aid of Rahmat, were also injured in the incident. Rahmat has filed a police report.

The public order officers were evicting street vendors from in front of the Indonesian Christian University.

Sutiyoso, however, defended the public order officers, saying they were only defending themselves.

"I have received a report from the East Jakarta major that the security officers only tried to defend themselves from the vendors, who attacked them," said Sutiyoso.--JP