Manggarai residents promise to keep peace

Manggarai residents promise to keep peace

JAKARTA (JP): Two quarreling groups of residents in Manggarai
subdistrict, South Jakarta, pledged on Sunday to stop their
prolonged feud which claimed three lives last year.

Witnessed by Tebet district head Rama Parjawinata and Tebet
Police chief Maj. Asli Manau, the residents issued a joint
"peace-deal" statement in a gathering at the Manggarai Selatan
soccer field.

"We agree to avoid personal and group interests which have so
far ignited the brawls," said the statement, which was read in
turn by Choki and Ujang, two youths from the two groups.

Choki said that, in the future, the two groups would first
discuss problems amongst themselves before going to the police.

The groups then exchanged white flags, symbolizing the
establishment of the peace agreement, and continued by cutting a
rice cone in the ceremony, attended by at least 300 residents
from both groups.

Lulus Sucipto, one of those present, said the meeting was
organized by youths of the two groups who have long been involved
in bloody clashes.

"The meeting was not orchestrated by the district officials or
by the police. It was on our own initiatives," Lulus said.

He said both groups expected that there would not be any more
clashes in the future.

" The participants of the meeting are youths who were involved
in the earlier clashes. That's why I'm sure that there will be no
brawls here anymore," he said.

The residents in the two neighboring units, RW 02 and RW 10,
were involved in a brawl on Sept. 2 which killed one resident,
injured four others and destroyed four buildings.

Like previous brawls in the area, the cause of last month's
remains unclear.

Governor Sutiyoso has called upon the residents to end the
dispute and has donated to them two soccer balls and a guitar, in
the hope that they will take part in activities together.

The residents, especially the youths, have repeatedly broken
their earlier promises and again become involved in brawls.

Prior to the brawl last month, the residents agreed to put a
stop to the dispute by slaughtering a goat, but the brawls
reoccurred.

Meanwhile, at least one house and two kiosks were burned down
during a brawl between residents of Jl. Pal Meriam and Kampung
Berlan, Matraman, East Jakarta on Saturday night.

No fatalities were reported in the brawl which started at 1
a.m.

Residents of Kampung Berlan reportedly attacked Pal Meriam
residents without any clear reason. The latter then retaliated by
throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails, witnesses said on Sunday.

The brawl is believed to have occurred following a fatal
stabbing of a student from Kampung Berlan in another brawl a few
days ago.

Like Manggarai residents, residents from Berlan and Pal Meriam
have been frequently involved in brawls. (jun)