Matraman residents will hold ceremony in Kalibata

JAKARTA (JP): In connection with the Youth Pledge Day, residents of the brawl-ridden Matraman area in East Jakarta will hold a ceremony at the Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta on Saturday.

The ceremony, organized by the Matraman Residents Communication Forum (FKPMM), will involve some 400 students from all schools in the area and representatives of some other schools in the capital.

Forum chairman, Anang Mansyur, told reporters that the event was part of the effort to remind young Jakartans not to get easily involved in mass neighborhood brawls.

He said the program would also include free medical check-ups for all Matraman residents, to be provided by the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) until Nov. 21, and a dancing and art festival for young people.

"Young people are often blamed from triggering unrest in the neighborhood. They must realize that they are one and should try to restore peace and order in the area," said Anang.

Residents of the Palmeriam and Kebon Manggis subdistricts in Matraman have had a long history of destructive brawls, causing dozens of fatalities, and resulting in some 400 people who used to earn their living in the area losing their jobs.

During the clashes, residents of both areas pelt stones and Molotov cocktails at each other. Some of them, mostly young people, even arm themselves with air rifles, swords, sickles, smoke bombs and firecrackers.

Various efforts have been made to end the prolonged conflict, including the establishment of the forum on May 7, aimed at bridging the divide between the two neighborhoods.

Others efforts which have been made include the erection of a two-meter-high steel barrier on the median strip along Jl. Matraman, the provision of sports equipment, and the establishment of a watch post at the Gramedia building, jointly manned by residents of the two neighborhoods.

In the latest brawl, which was triggered by the death of a Kebon Manggis resident on Oct. 8, the mobs demolished parts of the newly constructed barrier.

The victim, identified as Yosef Suryahadi, who worked as a parking attendant in the area, was stabbed in the head, face and right arm by a group of unidentified men.

Anang said the case was purely criminal, citing that there were no brawls preceding the murder.

"We urge the police to probe this case soon," he said. (07)