Post-brawl tension prevails in Tanjung Balai
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.