Luwuk tense after police brutality protest

Luwuk tense after police brutality protest

Erick W., The Jakarta Post, Palu

The situation in Luwuk, Banggai, Central Sulawesi remained tense
on Monday as thousands of people marched through the small town
to protest against the assault by local police of four officers
from the local administration on Sunday.

The protesters, including employees of the local
administration, ransacked the Luwuk Police Subprecinct building
and several other police buildings. Most shops were closed due to
fears of fresh rioting following the incident.

"The angry mob, which included people from numerous villages,
ransacked the police subprecinct building and several other
police buildings and barricaded a shopping center to prevent
shops from opening," Antara news agency quoted Syahrul, an
eyewitness, as saying.

He confirmed that the rally was designed as a protest against
the police's brutal treatment of four officers who were on duty
at the Banggai regent's office on Sunday night.

The four, identified as Novi Irawan, 26, Randi, 23, Rajab, 22,
and Sammi, 23, were rushed to the Luwuk General Hospital. The
seriously injured Irawan remains in a critical condition.

Nurdin Abdul Rahim, chief of the national unity and people's
protection division at the regent's office, said the incident had
occurred after the four victims traded insults with police
officers who were on duty at a police subprecinct located
adjacent to the regent's office.

"The police hurled insults as my men were passing the police
office but they retaliated by swearing back at the police.
Minutes later, some 20 police came to my men's office and beat
them up. One of the policemen stabbed Irawan with a knife," he
said.

Nurdin said that after a flag-raising ceremony at the regent's
office, dozens of employees marched to the police precinct to
protest against the police's brutality and hundreds of residents
joined the rally.

"Two police offices were badly injured by the angry mob," he
said.

Luwuk Subdistrict Chief Dahlan Assegaf said the situation was
returning to normal after hundreds of security personnel from the
local military office were deployed to control the rally.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Sismantoro, chief of the Banggai Police
Precinct, Lt. Col. Agus Suchiarso, chief of the local military
district and Banggai Deputy Regent Ma'mun Amir were holding a
coordination meeting to discuss the incident when they were
contacted on Monday.