Lampung's PDI Perjuangan chief in jail

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.