'Post' photographer attacked

'Post' photographer attacked

JAKARTA (JP): A photographer from The Jakarta Post was
attacked by a group of drivers at the Wisma Dharmala building
parking lot in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

Police have since reprimanded the building security guards for
not stopping the beating of Arief Suhardiman, who was assigned to
cover the handing over of books from the European Commission's
Ambassador to the rector of the University of Indonesia.

The photographer missed the event due to time spent arguing
with security guards and drivers, who later attacked him.

Arief suffered bruises to the face but was only slightly
injured.

Lt. Col. Edi Darnadi, the secretary of the City Police's Crime
Investigation Directorate, said: "They were wrong to let someone
get beaten up in front of them without doing anything. We cannot
condone such a violation of basic procedures," he said of the
security guards, who are all trained by the police.

According to Arief and four security guards, the incident
began when Arief's car grazed the arm of Tiarlin, a security
guard, as the photographer moved his car out of the P1 parking
lot as asked by another guard.

After a heated argument, more than five security guards and 10
idle drivers surrounded the photographer.

Two of the drivers then punched Arief in the face, while
another security guard, S. Pangaribuan, dragged Arief by the
shirt on the ground. (bsr)