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)