Rice looting continues in Pontianak, Kebumen calm

JAKARTA (JP): Sporadic pillaging of rice and other basic commodities from shops and warehouses continued to be reported on Wednesday in and around the West Kalimantan capital of Pontianak. The Central Java town of Kebumen, meanwhile, which saw massive looting and vandalism earlier in the week, was gradually returning to normal.

Reports said the pillaging was triggered mostly by people's frustration over the skyrocketing prices of rice and other basic commodities.

Pontianak military commander Col. Erwin Sudjono said 16 people had been arrested following the looting of rice warehouses in several towns (Wajo, Batulayang, Sei Pinyuh and Salatiga) on the outskirts of Pontianak on Monday evening and Tuesday.

"The looting began Monday night and then the looters moved closer to Pontianak. Several shops in Pontianak were looted this (Wednesday) morning," Erwin was quoted by Antara as saying.

Erwin said the looting -- during which "hundreds" of metric tons of rice were pillaged -- could have been engineered. He did not elaborate.

Three residents contacted by The Jakarta Post also said that lootings had taken place on Wednesday morning in Pontianak.

They said shops targeted were those selling basic commodities in the Sentral market on Jl. H.O.S. Cokroaminoto. They said no warehouses or shops were set on fire.

However, they said Pontianak was tense on Wednesday. Many shops stayed closed out of owners' fear of violence and numerous parents kept their children at home.

One Chinese-Indonesian resident, an employee at a private company in Pontianak, said he skipped work on Wednesday to guard his shop on Gg. 17 on Jl. Tanjungpura, one of the city's main streets.

"It's really hopeless, the situation, the people are hungry, rice is so expensive. It's OK if they loot the warehouses, but not the small shops. It's all because of the damned rice speculators," said another resident angrily.

A third resident said Pontianak was relatively safe thanks to the province's indigenous Dayaks who had taken the initiative to join the security forces in maintaining order in the city.

Antara reported Wednesday that mixed groups of Dayaks, Madurese, Malays and Chinese voluntarily offered their services to city residents to maintain security.

Residents have also increased their vigilance by intensifying night patrols in their neighborhoods. Together with the security forces, they were patrolling the city, the news agency and residents said.

The news agency also reported on Wednesday, quoting Pontianak police spokesman Capt. Suhadi, that two days of rice looting at two warehouses in the town of Sintan in Pontianak regency resulted in the loss of 80 tons of rice and 40 tons of sugar.

In a related development in Pontianak, hundreds of Tanjungpura University students demonstrated outside the West Kalimantan governor's office, demanding lower prices of rice and basic commodities as soon as possible.

The government's failure to lower prices of basic essentials has been criticized sporadically over the last few weeks. Protesters have warned that if the rice price remains unchecked political anarchy would result.

In Kebumen -- where the looting of and burning of Chinese- owned shops occurred on Monday and Tuesday -- order has been restored.

Kedu police chief Col. Deddy Komarudin told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the police had questioned 154 people in connection with the riots and detained 15 as suspects in Kebumen.

He said 53 buildings, including shops and factories, were damaged -- some burned -- and dozens of vehicles torched. The riots have prompted many Chinese-Indonesians to flee the town since Monday, the Post observed.

Hundreds of police and troops remained on alert in the area on Wednesday. (45/aan/har)