Prisoners riot in Bandung, several escape

Prisoners riot in Bandung, several escape

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

Hundreds of prisoners at the Kebon Waru Penitentiary in Bandung,
West Java, were involved in an extremely intense riot on
Thursday, damaging the warden's office and smashing windows and
other property inside the prison.

No serious injuries were reported but a number of prisoners
who were involved in the riot managed to escape, others were
being interrogated by police.

Prison wardens fired warning shots several times to control
the rampage, and they nearly failed to stop a full-scale breakout
as the rioters made it to the prison gates before finally being
stopped.

At least 10 buildings, including the dining room, sustained
damage. The angry prisoners also destroyed prison property such
as chairs and typewriters.

The rioting occurred after a number of inmates occupying
blocks C and D were involved in a fierce dispute early on
Thursday morning. However, the motive behind the dispute was not
clear.

Following a few hours of tense silence, the situation turned
ugly at around 10 a.m. local time when hundreds of inmates ran
amok, somehow escaping from their respective blocks and hurling
stones and other debris at the warden's office before completely
overrunning the building.

Other prisoners from block E, not wanting to miss out on a
good opportunity, later joined the rampage, making the situation
worse for guards and prison administrators. The incident caused
widespread panic among many, including several visitors who
fainted from fear.

Fifteen minutes later, district police arrived on the scene
and immediately dispersed the rioters by firing warning shots to
get the rampaging prisoners back into their respective cells.

The police later swept the cells to disarm the prisoners.

Central Bandung District Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr.
Edwardsyah Pernong said that based on the findings of a
preliminary investigation, the riot was strongly believed to have
been provoked by three prisoners who were planning an escape
attempt.

The three were Asep Kawat, convicted of robbery, Asep Cipuk,
charged with murder and Oyok, who was convicted of grand theft
auto.

"It (the riot) was merely the threesome's manipulative
provocation to shift the guards' attention so they could escape,"
Edwardsyah claimed.

However, Kawat, Cipuk and Oyok were not among those who
managed to flee from the prison.

The police interrogated the three and six others who were
found in possession of machetes and marijuana.

To prevent possible further unrest, at least 20 police
officers were deployed on a round-the-clock basis to provide
greater security inside the prison.

Edwardsyah said the prison, which has a capacity of only
1,472, was seriously overcrowded as it currently is home to some
2,200 prisoners. There was also a disproportionately low number
of guards.

"We cannot imagine how only five guards would be able to
secure such a crowded jail," he said.

However, the police chief admitted that, based on the
preliminary investigation, the riots were mainly incited by the
prisoners' dissatisfaction over the warden's and guards' unlawful
treatment.

The people in charge there have often blackmailed prisoners,
he added.

Apart from that, Edwardsyah said the prisoners were
complaining about the terrible food and health services they
received in the prison.

At least one prisoner has reportedly died each month from
illness in the past year.

Dedi Sutardi, head of the Kebon Waru prison, was not at the
scene during the riot as he was in Bali, to attend his
inauguration as new chief of the Grobokan penitentiary in
Denpasar.