Military appeals for calm after riot
Military appeals for calm after riot
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Java military command yesterday appealed to people in Pekalongan for calm after the town was rocked by communal violence the previous night.
Brig. Gen. Djoko Subroto, the chief of staff of the Diponegoro Military Command, specifically appealed to the Moslem community for restraint, according to an advance report by the Semarang- based Suara Merdeka daily, made available to The Jakarta Post last night.
"Do not be easily provoked by malicious rumors, fanned by certain irresponsible parties, which are intended to divide the unity of the people," Brig. Gen. Djoko said.
Witnesses said many shops were destroyed and several cars became the target of people's anger during the rampage on Wednesday night. The shops were located along Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Jl. K.H. Mansyur, Jl. Merdeka, Jl. Kartini and Jl. Dr. Wahidin, the witnesses said.
Brig. Gen. Djoko did not say whether there were any casualties in the incident.
The authorities quickly moved in that same night to quell the violence, he said, adding that the military made no arrests.
He explained that the violence started as a misunderstanding that was exploited by certain parties. "Their intention is clear. To sow disunity and stir unrest."
He avoided naming any particular religion or ethnic group.
Brig. Gen. Djoko said a man, who later turned out to be mentally ill, was seen on Wednesday morning in the street abusing the holy book of a certain religion.
"It was not intended to insult the particular religion. He was of unsound mind and his family was not aware of his behavior," Djoko said, adding that the man had been treated at a mental hospital.
But rumors quickly spread across town that the man had insulted the religion.
This stirred people's anger and led to rampage in the evening.
Djoko said he had met with the leaders of the provincial chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council and asked for their help to calm the people and explain the true situation. (emb/31)