Hundreds of troops remain deployed in riot-hit Kebumen

Hundreds of troops remain deployed in riot-hit Kebumen

KEBUMEN, Central Java (JP): Hundreds of armed troops stood
guard over closed shops and burned buildings still billowing
smoke on Tuesday following rioting on Monday by thousands of
residents.

Smaller-scale burning and looting, however, continued through
Tuesday afternoon in this small town some 125 kilometers west of
Yogyakarta.

At least six shops on Jl. Sutoyo and Jl. Sarbini were reported
damaged during the day. By evening, the situation had calmed down
but remained tense.

Kedu Police chief Col. Deddy S. Komarudin told reporters at
the local police headquarters that angry mobs had burned at least
49 shops, 27 cars and five motorcycles and had looted two jewelry
shops during the riots.

The police had arrested 89 people as of Tuesday night for
their alleged involvement in the lootings and burnings. Thirty-
two of the detainees are students, Deddy said.

Kebumen Police chief Lt. Col. Nuryanto Suharto told The
Jakarta Post the riot erupted when residents heard that Sukiman,
an employee at the Rejo Agung auto shop, had been beaten up by
his employer for spilling some oil.

"Sukiman was only scolded, not beaten up as some of his
friends had thought," Nuryanto said.

He said Sukiman's friends then attacked the shop. The violence
quickly erupted into a full-blown riot.

Sukiman, who was also arrested, confirmed that he was only
yelled at by his employer's wife, Listiowati.

"I was criticized that I was incapable of working," Sukiman
told the Post.

Meanwhile, small crowds of people were seen milling about on
Jl. Sutoyo and Jl. Pahlawan, two of the worst-hit areas, on
Tuesday morning looking at dozens of burned cars.

Muncul grocery store on Jl. Pahlawan, located only 100 meters
from the local police headquarters, was one of the stores
attacked on Monday.

Hundreds of people ransacked the store, taking thousands of
containers of cooking oil to burn on the streets.

"We deployed more than 15 platoons but the mob was out of
control (on Monday)," Deddy said, adding that reinforcements had
come from the nearby towns of Purworejo, Purwokerto, Magelang and
Semarang.

Central Java Police chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi, inspecting the
situation, said he suspected the riot had been masterminded.

"The burnings and lootings took place throughout the town just
like that. The riot could have been masterminded," Nurfaizi said.
He did not mention any possible suspects or organizations.

Authorities continued to report that no injuries had occurred
over the last two days.

A spate of riots have flared up in recent weeks in a number of
towns, including nearby Cilacap two weeks ago.

The country is gripped in its worst economic crisis in
decades, in which people have been facing skyrocketing prices of
basic commodities. (45/har/byg)