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).