Riot breaks out during eviction in Tambora

Riot breaks out during eviction in Tambora

A massive demolition of 1,720 makeshift houses, where some 10,000
residents lived, that were built on private land owned by PT
Cakra Wira Bumi Mandala in Jembatan Besi, Tambora, West Jakarta,
turned into a riot on Tuesday.

The riot started at around 8:30 a.m., when some 1,500
policemen, military personnel and city public order officers,
assisted by about 2,000 laborers hired by the land owner, tried
to tear down the houses.

Residents were outraged and fought back especially at the
hired laborers. Both parties were seen carrying sharp weapons and
throwing rocks and sharpened bamboo sticks at each other.

Riot police then moved in to quell the rioters by firing tear
gas canisters which landed on the residents roofs.

The situation came under control after the deputy chief of
West Jakarta Police, Adj. Comr. Tejo Subagio, negotiated with the
residents.

An officer from the city public order agency and a resident
were injured in the clash and sent to Sumber Waras hospital in
West Jakarta.

The clash caused heavy traffic congestion on Jl. Prof. Dr.
Latumeten, which also caused heavy traffic on the inner city toll
road and the Jakarta-Tangerang toll road. -- JP