Matraman mob clash with police officers

Matraman mob clash with police officers

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of residents in the Matraman district
of East Jakarta clashed with police officers on Tuesday,
following the death of a local who had been assaulted by several
security guards of Hotel Mega Matra on Jl. Matraman Raya early on
Monday.

Police repeatedly shot rubber bullets and tear gas to dismiss
angry residents who demanded the police hand over the hotel
security guards who had attacked Jerry Mayluhu. The angry
residents also set fire to some tires on the road to protest at
the police, whom they regard as siding with the hotel security
guards. The guards were mostly recruited from the Military Police
Command.

"We have just returned from the cemetery in Menteng after
attending the funeral of our friend Jerry. But as we were passing
by the hotel, the police suddenly shot tear gas and rubber
bullets at us," one of the angry residents, Agus Supriyadi, told
The Jakarta Post.

Jerry, 30, a resident of Jl. Ksatriaan X in the Berlan
military housing complex, was assaulted by around seven Mega
Matra Hotel security guards for extorting money from hotel
guests. He was later rushed to the emergency unit at Cipto
Mangunkusumo Hospital, but died before receiving medical
treatment.

"This is the second incident of its kind. Three months ago
another friend Supriyadi was also fatally assaulted by the
hotel's security guards," another resident, Bambang told the
Post.

His colleague, Budi, said that they would not hesitate to set
fire to the hotel building if the police failed to settle the
case fairly.

"We just want the police to be fair in handling our friend's
murder. We want them to arrest the hotel security guards who
assaulted our friend, otherwise we will burn the hotel down,"
another resident, Budi, said.

He said that the hotel, where a Srimulat comedy group member
Polo was arrested for using drugs last year, was often used as a
place for drugs and prostitution. When contacted by the Post the
hotel denied these accusations.

Matraman subprecinct police chief Comr. Unggul BT said that he
had yet to receive any official report from Jerry's family, who
have rejected police recommendations for an autopsy by forensic
experts.

"However we will investigate those who assaulted the victim,"
he said.

Traffic heading from Jatinegara heading to Matraman was
temporarily diverted to Slamet Riyadi road while some 200 police
officers from the city police and the East Jakarta Police Mobile
Brigade Unit were standing guard at the hotel.(01)