Hostile neighborhoods clash again, one killed

Hostile neighborhoods clash again, one killed

JAKARTA (JP): High hopes for a lasting settlement to the long-
running hostilities between two warring neighborhoods in Central
Jakarta were dashed again on Friday and Saturday nights when
renewed fighting erupted.

A resident of Menteng Jaya was killed and another wounded in
the latest brawl, which took place from 8 p.m. on Saturday to 5
a.m. on Sunday, and at least 20 houses in Menteng Jaya were set
ablaze by molotov cocktails, allegedly thrown by residents of the
neighboring Manggarai subdistrict.

The fatality was identified as 40-year-old Arsamadi. He died
of severe stab wounds to his stomach and back, while another
resident identified as 19-year-old Jaelani was injured after
being shot in his right temple.

Jaelani was transferred to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital
in Central Jakarta on Sunday morning from Agung hospital in South
Jakarta after his condition began to deteriorate.

On Sunday afternoon dozens of residents of Menteng Jaya were
seen evacuating their properties as they predicted that another
"war" would take place as soon as all of them realized that one
of the residents had been killed during the latest brawl.

The situation in the neighborhood was still tense last night
and male residents were seen on the alert, arming themselves with
sharp weapons and wooden sticks.

"I'd do better by moving to my relatives' house in Cibubur in
East Jakarta than staying here. These brawls drive us crazy,"
Mahmudin, of the residents, said.

She said men, both young and old, had been preoccupied with
thoughts of revenge against the residents of Manggarai.

Mahmudin's house was not burned as it is located far from the
railway tracks which separate Menteng Jaya and Manggarai.

Residents whose houses were burnt took shelter in nearby
vacant shops on Jl. Tambak, security posts or mosques.

"Most of us were sleeping when the latest brawl erupted so
that we could only save a small amount of our belongings," Roni
said.

Pratiknyo, 56, admitted that she managed to save only two pans
as she was woken when fire had already destroyed her house's
roof.

"I don't have anything now, this is all I got out," she said,
pointing at the two pans.

Tears

Struggling to restrain tears, she said that she did not know
what to do or where to go as she lived with her three teenage
sons, who were busy preparing further revenge attacks with their
neighbors.

Until the news was reported no policemen or soldiers were seen
posted in the neighborhood.

On Friday night at least another 10 houses were set ablaze by
Molotov cocktails as residents of Menteng Jaya subdistrict and
Manggarai subdistrict squared off.

At least 20 residents of nearby Pegangsaan subdistrict and a
fire fighter, identified as Widodo, were injured by shots from
air rifles, Antara news agency reported.

Teddy, a resident of Pegangsaan, was stabbed in the stomach in
the fracas.

It was unclear what caused the resumption of the hostilities.

Residents of the two areas began stoning each other at 10 p.m.

The 10 houses in Pegangsaan caught fire after the rival
residents lobbed several Molotov cocktails into the neighboring
area.

Fire also damaged parts of four other houses.

Officers from the Central Jakarta Fire Department said they
encountered problems in extinguishing the blaze because the
houses were built close together.

They also admitted to being afraid to immediately proceed
because the residents were shooting at each other with air
rifles.

Eleven fire crews finally managed to extinguish the fire early
on Saturday.

The situation remained tense on Saturday afternoon but only a
few police officers were on patrol. Stones and wooden sticks were
scattered on the street.

Residents blocked Jl. Tambak near the burned houses and asked
passersby for donations for the fire victims.

On Friday, at least 25 housewives from Menteng Jaya visited
the National Commission on Human Rights to seek help in solving
the chronic problem.

They expressed their fears over living in an area marked by
constant hostilities, even though some of the women had mothers-
in-law living in the rival subdistrict.

Commission members M. Salim and Soegiri promised to summon
residents from the two subdistricts before visiting the areas.

A series of major brawls took place in September and claimed
the lives of two men.

In a bid to solve the problem, Governor Sutiyoso has proposed
resettling residents of the two subdistricts in other areas, or
sending them back to their hometowns.

Residents attempted a reconciliation in October, but the truce
was brief. (jun/emf)