Post-brawl tension prevails in Tanjung Balai

Apriadi Gunawan The Jakarta Post Medan, North Sumatra

The North Sumatra town of Tanjung Balai was tense on Friday following a brawl the previous evening between rival youth groups that left several people injured. No casualties were reported.

Police deployed dozens of personnel to guard the town, while local residents were forced to stay home for fear of becoming targets.

The clash on Thursday night involved local members of the Pancasila Youths and a group of hoodlums at the Tanjung Balai bus terminal.

Teluk Nibung Police chief Adj. Comr. Syamsul Bahri Lubis said several people sustained stab wounds in the conflict. "The number of injured is not clear yet. But it is certain that there are no fatalities," he said.

Asahan Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Edi Priadi said on Friday that the situation in Tanjung Balai remained tense, but was largely under control.

Around 100 police officers were sent from Asahan to the brawl- hit town to help secure the area, he added.

Edi said police were also stationed at the local Pancasila Youths office and a deployment was monitoring the camp of hoodlums to prevent further clashes.

"We are worried that a brawl could erupt again, as both groups have injured members," he told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Syamsul said the clash was triggered by a personal issue that expanded into a dispute involving the two groups.

The triggering incident involved two Pancasila Youths motorists who were reportedly beaten in Pahang, Datuk Bandar subdistrict, by suspected members of a hoodlum group at the bus terminal.

The two victims reported the incident to their group and sought out their attackers for revenge along with other Pancasila Youths members. The group reportedly abducted a youth believed to be one of the attackers from the hoodlum group.

Hearing rumors that one of their members was kidnapped, the hoodlum youths moved out to find the abductors and rescue him.

A clash ensued when the two groups confronted each other, armed with traditional weapons such as machetes and other sharp implements.

The brawl ended hours later after police from Tanjung Balai and Teluk Nibung intervened.

Pancasila Youths members are traditional supporters of the newly founded Pancasila Patriots' Party led by Japto S. Soerjosoemarno, which is contesting the 2004 general election.

"It's good that the violence did not spread, so political parties can campaign normally. No campaign activities have been disrupted," he said.

Edi said the police had questioned several suspects and witnesses over the clash.