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)