Pontianak tense despite lifting of night curfew

Pontianak tense despite lifting of night curfew

JAKARTA (JP): The atmosphere in the West Kalimantan capital
Pontianak remained tense yesterday despite the lifting of the
nightly curfew, local sources said.

Fully armed soldiers were out early yesterday patrolling the
town in trucks, pick-ups and on motorcycles, especially in
business centers predominantly occupied by people of Chinese
descent.

A resident of a Dayak housing complex in south Pontianak told
The Jakarta Post by phone that dozens of Madurese still hung
around the complex.

"The Madurese dispersed only when a military patrol came over
to answer calls made by frightened residents here.

"If the situation remains like this, how can we believe the
officials who keep saying everything is secure and under
control."

The resident said Dayaks in town still feared fresh attacks on
their homes by migrants from Madura, an island off the northeast
coast of Java.

"This keeps them wide awake every night guarding their
neighborhoods and families," he said.

He said most people were unaware the authorities had lifted
the curfew.

Another resident told the Post there had been rumors that
fresh violence would erupt after Friday prayers yesterday.

"Thank God, it didn't happen," he said.

He said the atmosphere in Pontianak had improved, "but there
are still questions in people's minds about what the real
situation is in the hinterland, and whether it might spread to
the capital".

In Jakarta yesterday, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
met with National Commission on Human Rights officials to discuss
the riots, but was not available to speak to journalists.

An Armed Forces spokesman told reporters at his office: "The
Armed Forces is not issuing any press statements on the recent
unrest. We will just let the rights commission explain it".

Secretary-General Baharuddin Lopa said yesterday that no
specific details about the recent unrest in various parts of the
country were discussed during the meeting at the Armed Forces
headquarters.

"The meeting covered state security in its general aspects,"
Lopa said, referring to recent violence in the East Java town of
Situbondo, the West Java towns of Tasikmalaya and Rengasdengklok,
and the West Kalimantan hinterland.

The meeting did not discuss the Armed Forces' analysis of the
causes of unrest.

Lopa said it was too early for the commission to say how many
had died during the clashes in the West Kalimantan hinterlands.

He said that the violence in West Kalimantan had different
causes to that in Java. "It's about culture. There are
differences of character between the Dayaks and Madurese in West
Kalimantan."

The rights commission has suggested the disputing ethnic
leaders sign a peace charter through mediation by the local
government and the military, he said.

"The draft of the charter is being prepared by the government,
the Armed Forces, and community leaders," Lopa said.

Antara quoted Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono as saying
that there was no indication so far that the unrest in West
Kalimantan had been "masterminded by communists".

"I am not saying we are going to get to the bottom of it," he
said, adding that ethnic enmity was not the only root of the
unrest.

"There have been many local development activities that have
failed to involve indigenous people or minimized their rights,"
Hartono was quoted as saying.

According to Hartono, the situation in Pontianak was under
control and that he planned to meet Madurese in the province.

Tanjungpura Regional Military Commander Maj. Gen. Namoeri
Anoem, said Thursday that 68 men suspected of inciting mass
unrest in the area had been detained.

"They are all under investigation by the West Kalimantan
police," Anum said Thursday, as quoted by the Merdeka daily.
(08/01)