Riot over food price increases hits Bima

JAKARTA (JP): Mobs protesting dramatic increases in the prices of essential commodities attacked shops in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, yesterday, police said.

Capt. Bokran of Bima Police told The Jakarta Post by telephone that the violence began at about 9:30 a.m. and sporadic stone throwing at shops continued in the evening.

"The target was shops belonging to 'fair-skinned people' and none of those belonging to the indigenous were attacked," he said. Asked if he was referring to ethnic Chinese, he replied: "Yes".

Bokran said crowds gathered on roadsides and security personnel kept a close eye on them.

Resident sources said up to 60 shops were attacked, two of which were burned to the ground. Antara quoted local military chief Col. Soekotjo as saying that "only" two shops burned down and another seven had their windows smashed.

Capt. Bokran said all shops shut when the riot broke out and security forces were deployed in the streets.

Sources said there were an estimated 100 families of Chinese descent in Bima, which has a population of about 500,000.

Bima is a multi-ethnic town. According to official 1980 statistics, Bima's ethnic numbered 366,740. Immigrants consist mostly of Javanese, Makasarese and Bugis.

According to Soekotjo, order was returned to Bima in the afternoon after the Army was called in to quell the riot.

He said from the West Nusa Tenggara capital of Mataram that the riot started after about 100 people staged a protest over price hikes at the local legislative council office.

On their way home, they pelted shops with stones.

"Two shops caught fire. It started from Toko Arjuna and spread to the next shop. Fire fighters are still putting out fires this afternoon," he told Antara.

He dismissed as untrue reports that the crowd also vandalized cars. He said there were "less than 1,000 people" involved in the violence.

"There was no looting," he said. "Don't exaggerate it ... everything is under control and the (Bima) regent talked to people he gathered in a soccer field."

The incident was the latest to occur following the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities as the financial crisis seems to worsen.

Similar violence previously broke out in Pasuruan and Tuban in East Java; Rembang in Central Java; Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi and Banawa in Sulawesi.

In the Central Java coastal town of Pekalongan, the authorities rounded up 21 people Pekalongan People's Committee of "Sadam Hussein" last Friday on charges of instigating people to riot.

They were arrested after staging a demonstration over price hike. The street demonstration had caused tension in the town which has been occasionally rocked by unrest. (pan)