Islamic school denies involvement in Puncak riot

Islamic school denies involvement in Puncak riot

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

The Darul Huda Islamic boarding school in Cilember, Bogor, denied
on Sunday that any of its students initiated the attack on hotels
and suspected brothels in Cipayung, in the mountainous Puncak
resort, on Saturday night.

"All the 60 Muslim students were here last night, conducting a
prayer when the riot happened. Three police officers even joined
us," said the son of the school chief, Cecep Imron.

One of the students, Ibrahim, complained that local residents
often blamed them whenever a riot occurred.

"We are not provocateurs. Perhaps the locals did it."

Around 300 angry people, armed with sticks and Molotov
cocktails, began to set fire to several hotels and seriously
vandalized brothels in Cipayung at 9 p.m. on Saturday. The riot
paralyzed traffic connecting Jakarta and Bandung for over two
hours while state-owned electricity company PT PLN shut down its
supply causing total darkness during the riot under the heavy
downpour.

Bogor Police deputy, Comr. Eddy Tambunan, said 40 people were
arrested for attacking the hotels and looting belongings.

The riot, the second after similar chaos in 1998, terrified 57
refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan, who are staying at Sulanajana
hotel. They also lost some of their belongings including a
television set, VCD players, cell phones and US$1,200 in cash.

"This is definitely not the work of Muslims. Muslim people
will definitely not commit such action," groaned Ahmad Habib, an
Iraqi refugee.

The Sulanajana hotel manager, Ruslan, said the mob began to
attack the hotel by throwing stones at 9 p.m.

"When I saw the mob, I quickly brought the refugees out
through the back door and hid them in the garden," he said.

Locals admitted that they were afraid that such unrest would
continue in the future should the police fail to take firm action
against the attackers.