Military, police offices attacked in NTT

Military, police offices attacked in NTT

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post/Kupang

Dozens of residents vandalized the offices of the Indonesian
Military (TNI) and police in two separate regencies in East Nusa
Tenggara (NTT). No fatalities were reported but the buildings
were severely damaged.

The attack on Miofao Military Command in North Central Timor
occurred on Tuesday afternoon, after a fight broke out between
local military officers and spectators at a soccer game held to
commemorate Independence Day.

The game, held in a field in West Miofao district, had
proceeded smoothly at first. However, the officer who was hired
to safeguard the event, had resorted to violence when spectators
refused to step back behind the sidelines. Some spectators were
injured after being kicked or hit with his baton.

The crowd retaliated and began to solicit support from others
to fight the officer, who ran into the nearby military command.

The spectators chased him to the building, which they set
about to destroy, shattering the windows and breaking down the
doors.

Military and local leaders managed to restore order and
offered to facilitate negotiations between the military and
residents.

Chief of the North Central Timor Military Command overseeing
West Miofao district Lt. Col. Bambang S said on Thursday that the
dispute had been settled.

Two days earlier, dozens of people vandalized the Jerebu'u
Police station in Ngada here, following the alleged assault of a
local resident by a police officer.

The assault reportedly occurred during a soccer game held
earlier on Saturday, also to commemorate Independence Day.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post on Thursday, chief of the East
Nusa Tenggara police Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang said that the
situation in Jerebu'u had returned to normal.