Lampung's PDI Perjuangan chief in jail

Oyos Saroso HN, The Jakarta Post, Bandar Lampung

The head of the provincial branch of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in Lampung has been arrested and placed in jail on assault charges.

After Anshori Yunus was taken to the Rajabasa Penitentiary late Thursday night, however, a melee almost ensued when his supporters, reportedly local members of PDI Perjuangan, threatened to storm the prison if he was not released.

Anshori and his followers claimed that his detention was politically motivated, and argued that the battery incident reported to the police had in fact been amicably settled.

As of Friday afternoon, a dozen people remained outside Rajabasa Penitentiary, demanding that warden Samsul Bahri release Anshori.

Anshori was first placed in the prison after police passed the records of the battery charges on to provincial prosecutors who, in turn, ordered him to be incarcerated.

Anshori's assault case involved a June altercation in which he beat a construction worker named Subagio who later required medical treatment for the facial bruises.

But Anshori and his lawyers insisted that the matter has long since been settled amicably.

During questioning, they added, authorities were given a letter as proof this claim.

"So why is this still an issue? I strongly believe that I am a victim of my political opponents," said Anshori, who is also a member of the provincial council.

Earlier on Thursday evening, when news spread that Anshori had been put in jail, hundreds of supporters gathered outside the prison, and threatened to force their way inside.

The situation grew so tense that, at one point, prison guards even fired warning shots to ward off approaching protesters.

At first, when Anshori was approached by officials seeking to diffuse the situation, he was uncooperative.

However after extensive discussions, Anshori, who was in contact with relatives outside the prison walls, gradually became more accommodating in helping to calm the situation.

Despite strong presence of PDI Perjuangan in the province, it is widely known that senior personalities in the party there are widely split.

The party's own Srie Atidah, who had served as Council speaker, had also been removed from her post, despite the fact that PDI Perjuangan represented the majority of votes in the council.

Many speculate that the political tensions, particularly within PDI Perjuangan itself, will continue to escalate in the coming weeks when the provincial gubernatorial race begins.