Kendari hit by third day of rioting
Kendari hit by third day of rioting
JAKARTA (JP): Rioting erupted again yesterday in the Southeast
Sulawesi capital Kendari, following similar unrest in the city
Tuesday and Wednesday. Hundreds of people, enraged by soaring
prices, went on the rampage damaging and looting dozens of
stores.
High school and university students, workers and local
residents took part in the frenzy in shopping centers from around
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. forcing troops to fire repeated warning shots.
Scores of protesters were later arrested.
At around 4 p.m. security personnel were deployed to areas
where protesters were gathered and dispersed them. At about the
same time, three people representing residents met with Brig.
Gen. R. Ampi Tanujiwa, the local Army commander, explaining the
people's frustration because prices of some commodities increased
almost hourly.
"We have tried to visit local legislators, but they refused to
meet us," one said.
Ampi said the military in the region was on full alert and
would, if necessary, shoot rioters on the spot.
On Wednesday hundreds of public transportation drivers in the
North Sumatran town of Rantau Prapat, frustrated over soaring
prices of motor spare parts, ran amok, damaging dozens of stores
and houses.
The situation was back to normal yesterday with numerous
security personnel patrolling the town, according to North
Sumatra military spokesman Lt. Col. Agus Ramadhan.
"The situation is under control now," he said, without further
elaboration on the violence in the Labuhan Ratu regency town 400
kilometers southeast of Medan.
North Sumatra police spokesman Lt. Col. Amrin Karim, when
contacted in Medan yesterday, refused to disclose how many stores
and houses had been damaged. Antara said no one was arrested and
no casualties were reported either.
The latest unrest comes on top of similar violence in more
than 20 towns which has rocked the country since late January
amid increasing tension over soaring prices, shortages of basic
goods and mass unemployment.
Separately, five thousand families in three resettlement units
in East Kalimantan are facing food shortages, Antara reported
from the provincial capital Samarinda yesterday.
Vice Governor Suwarna A.F. confirmed the famine threatening
settlers in Rantau Pulung, Muara Ancalong and Resak, in Kutai
regency, and said the provincial administration had sent 80 tons
of rice to the affected areas. Each family should receive five
kilograms of rice today and tomorrow.
The second phase of assistance would take place soon, and some
810 tons of rice would be distributed through May, he said.
Antara also reported from East Nusa Tenggara's capital Kupang
yesterday that supplies of basic commodities there would not last
beyond the end of this month.
Kupang regent Paul Lawa Rihi said many traders were reluctant
to send in supplies from Jakarta or Surabaya for fear they would
have to pay more and, in turn, sell at an even higher price.
"The traders are afraid the local people will accuse them of
profiteering," he said. "They have asked that the provincial
administration and the security authorities guarantee their
safety (from possible reprisals over high prices)."
He cited a brand of rice that is sold in Jakarta for Rp 80,000
(US$8) per sack but still circulates in Kupang for Rp 45,000 per
sack. "The traders would not be able to do this (depress the
prices) for long," he said.
Reports about food scarcities continue to pour in, and
community members are applying themselves to survive the
difficulties in different ways.
In Surabaya, 600 of the 3,012 Islamic boarding schools across
East Java have agreed to distribute basic commodities in order to
ensure supplies reach even the remotest areas.
The agreement was reached between the Association of East Java
Boarding Schools and the provincial administration in a meeting
attended by Governor Basofi Soedirman and 300 Moslem leaders
yesterday.
The secretary of the association, Hemawan Malik, said the move
was aimed at circumventing the "distorted market" -- caused by
hoarders and speculators, among others -- which had disrupted
distribution of basic commodities.
"This way, prices can be kept at affordable rates," he said.
He pointed out that food scarcities and soaring prices could
easily trigger public unrest.
It was reported from Ujungpandang, the capital of South
Sulawesi, that the Wirabuana Regional Military Commander, Maj.
Gen. Agum Gumelar, and police chief, Brig. Gen. Ali Hanafiah, had
threatened to punish traders who hoarded commodities in order to
rake in profit.
"We will not hesitate to take legal action against the
speculators," Agum said after a meeting to discuss the
availability of basic commodities in the region.
Chinese
The rioting very often targeted Indonesians of Chinese descent
because they are widely perceived as controlling the country's
economy.
In Semarang, the capital of Central Java, dozens of
businessmen of Chinese descent donated yesterday Rp 3 billion and
three kilograms of gold, to the government's effort to revive the
ailing economy.
Three of the businessmen handed over the donation to Governor
Soewardi. The money and gold is to be kept in a local bank.
One of the businessmen, Sindu Darmali, told reporters that he
and his colleagues had enjoyed success here and were now moved to
help alleviate the suffering of their fellow countrymen.
Dozens of Indonesian businessmen of Chinese descent in
Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, handed over to Vice Governor
Darmadi C.H. a donation of 5.58 kilogram of gold and Rp 17.8
million in cash for the same purpose. The group was represented
by Anton Obey.
Since the crisis began the community in South Sulawesi has
collected 23.9 kilograms of gold and Rp 64.9 million to help the
government campaign to ease the suffering of the many people
affected by the economic crisis.
In Medan, North Sumatra, Bukit Barisan Regional Military
Commander Maj. Gen. Tengku Rizal Nurdin and his wife initiated a
drive yesterday to collect gold and money from the community.
By the end of the day it had already raised Rp 182.5 million,
6.35 kilograms of gold, and US$310. (nur/30/har/swe/aan/swa)