Military chief warns officers

Military chief warns officers

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Chief of the Bukit Barisan Regional
Military Command Maj. Gen. T. Rizal Nurdin vowed yesterday to
punish officers proven to have instigated Tuesday's riot on Jl.
Flamboyan, Tanjung Sari, Antara reported.

A clash erupted between students and military officers
following the demolition of fruit kiosks in the area where many
students from nearby schools usually hang out, Maj. Gen. T Rizal
Nurdin said.

A student claimed to have been "hit" by a tool an officer was
using to demolish the kiosks and reported the incident to his
fellow students at the nearby campus.

Enraged, the students went on a rampage and chased the
demolition officers who were just about to leave.

The attack caught the officers by surprise, prompting them to
call for reinforcement. This worsened the clash. The students
threw stones at the officers and set fire to car tires, blocking
the traffic.

Gen. Nurdin said the incident was caused by a
"misunderstanding between the students and the demolition team".

"If an officer acted violently, it was because some students
showed no respect for them," he said, adding that the authorities
have started investigating the incident. (swe)