Military to clamp down on poison-arrow gangs

Military to clamp down on poison-arrow gangs

MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Bukit Barisan Military chief Maj.
Gen. Arie J. Kumaat has ordered his troopers to clamp down on
criminal gangs which use poison arrows to knock out their
victims.

Kumaat, whose jurisdiction covers the northern part of
Sumatra, said yesterday the practice is widely used by gangs
operating around the Polonia district, home to Medan's airport as
well, Antara reported.

"I've ordered the chief of the district military command to
work together with the police to enhance the security and order
in the Polonia area," he told reporters yesterday after attending
the induction ceremony of the new Medan Police Chief.

He said his troopers have arrested a number of criminals
using poison arrows, many of which are gang members.

National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro, in his
speech at the induction ceremony, said North Sumatra has the
fourth highest crime rate in Indonesia, after Jakarta, Central
Java and East Java.

Banurusman installed Col. Nana S. Permana, formerly chief of
West Sumatra Police, as the new North Sumatra Police chief to
replace Brig. Gen. Roesmanhadi, who will move to become chief of
East Java Police.

To the new chief, Banurusman said a more innovative approach
is needed to contain and reduce the crime rate in the province.

Police should be wise but firm, and respect the law and
people's rights, he said.

He also stressed the need for greater coordination among the
various agencies each time police conduct a new operation.

Kumaat said that given the strong character of the North
Sumatran people, the police should minimize the level of force
used to contain these novel criminal acts. "If you use force on
the North Sumatran people, they'll get even more violent," he
quipped. (emb)