Mentawai's new DPRD building burned down by protesters
Mentawai's new DPRD building burned down by protesters
Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang
A mob of angry protesters set fire to the Mentawai regency
legislative (DPRD) building in West Sumatra province on
Wednesday, but no casualties were reported.
The arson is believed to be linked to their disappointment
over the legislature's decision to elect Rev. Edison Salelubaja
as the new Mentawai regent.
Edison was in Jakarta when the incident took place and all 20
local legislators were traveling to the province's capital of
Padang.
The new building, which had not yet been used, was burnt to
the ground, causing approximately Rp 400 million (US$40,000) in
losses to the regency, Mentawai deputy regent Aztarmizi said
after inspecting the ruins on Thursday.
Edison and Aztarmizi were sworn in as regent and deputy regent
respectively by West Sumatra governor Zainar Bakar last week in
Padang.
Aztarmizi confirmed that Edison, who still chairs the
legislative council, was in Jakarta on an official visit.
Sources said the violence was sparked by public disappointment
over last week's inauguration of the new regent, whom they
accused of practicing money politics.
Aztarmizi said the local security authorities would take legal
action the violent protesters, who had created the chaos during
the fasting month of Ramadhan
Protesters claimed the elections of Edison and his deputy
Aztarmizi were legally flawed and urged the local legislative
body to annul them but, despite the mounting protests, the
governor swore in Edison and Aztarmizi on Nov. 15 amid heavy
security provided by local police.
At the swearing-in ceremony, the governor asserted that it was
impossible for him and the central government to cancel the
inauguration because the two had been elected in a fair and
democratic vote by the legislative council.
The inauguration of Edison and Aztarmizi, who won ten of the
20 votes in the election in August, had been postponed following
similar protests against the two by various groups.
Cornelius Sabbailatti, coordinator of the demonstration, last
week said his group opposed the pair's inauguration because
Edison would be unable to lead the regency.
"Besides being highly ambitious, Edison is no longer seen as a
symbol of unity in the regency's pluralist society," he said.
Edison, a Protestant Church cleric, was nominated by the
Mentawai chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan), while Aztarmizi was supported by the United
Development Party (PPP).