Riot rocks Pinrang over embezzlement of public money

Riot rocks Pinrang over embezzlement of public money

PINRANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Tens of thousands of angry
people went on a rampage on Wednesday, burning down some
government offices in protest at the local administration's
handling of a scam involving two local cooperatives.

The Pinrang regent's office, the district prosecutor's office,
the district court building and the office of the Sawito district
chief were set on fire by the mob. Many other buildings were
badly damaged in the rampage that took place mid-morning in this
city 250 kilometers north of the South Sulawesi capital of
Ujungpandang. There were no casualties.

The riot erupted when residents -- many of whom were clients
of the Latimojong and Buasa Sawito cooperatives that had stopped
operation after their managers were suspected of embezzlement --
learned that the local administration would open only five
counters to refund their money.

The residents had been upset anyway because the authorities
had originally planned to pay their money back on Friday, but
later postponed payment to Wednesday, according to Masnawi A.S.,
member of a team set up to handle the cooperatives' ex-customers.

The cooperatives' owners have been detained for alleged
involvement in the scams.

"Because of the payment deferral and the team's unsatisfactory
service, tens of thousands of customers who arrived in the town
early Wednesday vented their dissatisfaction by torching
buildings," he said.

Outnumbered, security personnel could only watch helplessly as
mobs ran around destroying facilities. Several police officers
guarding the regent's office were pelted with stones by the mobs.

The angry crowd marched on the Pinrang Prison -- where the
cooperatives' managers were detained -- but could not enter due
to tighter security.

Tension remained high in the town late Wednesday, while
thousands had to walk because no public transportation was
allowed to enter or leave the town.

The riot also paralyzed school activities. Andi Sri Mulia, a
senior high school student, said classes in his school were
stopped as soon as the riot exploded at about 11 a.m.

Andi Machmud Napi, a local community leader, blamed the unrest
on the local administration's ineptitude in handling the case. He
criticized the team's use of only five counters.

"Remember, the amount of money that the cooperatives have
collected from their customers runs into hundreds of billions of
rupiah, while the team was planning on Wednesday to return only
Rp 3.1 million to the ex-clients," he said.

He pointed out that many of the mob had been customers for
years, some of them had even deposited billions of rupiah in the
hope of making high interest.

"The cooperatives cheated their customers," he said.

The cooperatives' ex-customers have several times staged
demonstrations to demand their money back and many had been
hospitalized for severe stress after losing their money. (rms/30)