Police suspect Army officer behind Kadera raid

Police suspect Army officer behind Kadera raid

JAKARTA (JP): Police are investigating an Army officer and a
member of the Serang Legislative Council in Banten province for
their alleged involvement in last Thursday's attack on striking
workers from car upholstery producer PT Kadera AR Indonesia.

East Jakarta Police detectives have found a link between the
Army officer, the Serang councillor and PT Kadera deputy general
manager Amrin Gobel, reportedly through calls made from Amrin's
mobile phone.

"We believe that hundreds of hoodlums were hired by a member
of the PT Kadera management to attack the striking workers. We
also believe that the Army officer and the Serang councillor were
behind the attack, but for that we need proof," East Jakarta
Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Agus Irianto told The
Jakarta Post on Friday.

"We will get some of the evidence from the telephone
company ... I cannot say any more until we make some arrests."

Agus' statement came as hundreds of the All-Indonesia Workers
Union Federation (FSPSI) members rallied at the House of
Representatives in a display of support for the company's
striking employees.

Police sources said Agus and several of his officers went to
Banten on Thursday night to surveil the residence of the Serang
councillor.

"Agus and his officers were shocked by what they saw ... at
least 100 people filled the house of the councillor, most of them
hoodlums, plus the Army officer. They seemed to be holding some
kind of meeting. The councillor is known in the area for paying
for hoodlums to study martial arts," a police officer who
requested anonymity said.

"Agus could not just make an arrest then, because he and his
men were clearly outnumbered. These two men will be arrested very
soon though ... we know that the Army officer lives somewhere
between Cikampek and Serang," the source said.

The source added that Amrin Gobel was a retired Indonesian
Military colonel.

Agus said it would only be possible to take any action against
Amrin after "the arrest of the Army officer and the Serang
councillor".

"We are still questioning several witnesses," he added.

The attack on the striking workers last Thursday left one
person dead and several others injured.

The deceased was identified as Kimun Effendi, 21, a resident
of Jl. Kedondong II in Kranji, Bekasi.

The workers, who had camped out inside the factory grounds
since the strike began on March 19, were asleep when about 500
people, armed with machetes, swords and homemade explosives,
arrived on buses and began to attack them. (ylt)