Police identify instigators of Kaur elections riots
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police say they have identified three persons who are strongly suspected of involvement in the Bengkulu riot and will arrest them to facilitate the investigation if necessary.
Deputy National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko said on Tuesday that Bengkulu police had identified three people after analyzing video recordings of the riot that occurred on Monday. The recordings show the three encouraging a mob to burn and damage government offices in Kaur regency, according to Soenarko.
"One of them is a public figure but I can't identify him so as not to disrupt the investigation," Soenarko said.
He also declined to answer a question on whether the public figure was a unsuccessful candidates in the recent regental election.
"We questioned eyewitnesses and they confirmed our suspicions of these three persons' role in the violence," Soenarko said.
The eyewitnesses, he added, were nearby residents and police officers who said they had seen the three men incite the mob to violence during their protest," Soenarko said.
Thousands of people attacked and set fire to the house of Kaur legislatures' council speaker, the regent's office, the office of the local general elections commission and the office of the Kaur public housing agency.
The rampage came after a regental elections that saw Syaukani Saleh and his running mate Warman Suwardi win.
One of the protesters said they intended to meet the councillors and members of the election commission to question them about the election result. They could not maintain their temper, however, after officials refused to come out and meet with them.
Public services ground to a standstill at the regency administration offices with most employees opting to stay at home on Tuesday.
Chairman of the Bengkulu elections commission Zainawi Yazid on Tuesday called on the public to refrain from violence when it comes to challenging poll results.
"If one is not satisfied with election results, one should use available measures according to law. Acts of violence cannot solve disputes," he said.
Losing candidates are the only parties who have the right to contest election results in the Supreme Court.
The Kaur "Justice Seekers Forum" said in a statement that the riot reflected the public's discontent with the poor performance of councillors and with members of the general elections commission in administering the election.
Forum spokesman, Sismadi, said the regional poll commission should disqualify the Syaukani and Warman ticket as an investigation into their alleged vote buying activities was still underway.
Despite the ongoing probe, however, members of the elections commission and councillors approved the election results and declared Syaukani and Warman the elected regent and deputy regent respectively.
Sismadi asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to send an independent team to investigate the dispute.
"We reject the election results and we demand a rerun of election," Sismadi said.
He warned of another mass rally if their demands went unheeded.