Riots across Jakarta orchestrated: Governor

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said Wednesday evidence had been found that the recent riots in the city, including the unrest that claimed the life of a 17-year-old Tuesday, were premeditated.

"These indications aren't being made up by security officials or anybody else," he said rebuffing skeptics.

"There's real proof that the riots were planned. The City Sanitation Bureau collected about 107 cubic meters of rocks up until 10 p.m. (Tuesday)," Surjadi said.

He lamented the recent unrest which disrupted the campaigning. "Jakarta should be a barometer for the whole nation; a fine example that can be emulated. I'm afraid the bad things happening here will be copied elsewhere," he said.

Surjadi called on the three political parties to discipline their supporters to avoid further incidents.

He warned them to remain vigilant against infiltrators. "The people, parties and officials all have to be aware of groups who want to sabotage the election. Why? Because if they already have such an intent they certainly won't stop now," he said.

Surjadi said that during the latest round of campaigning all three parties had been guilty of various violations, especially during the street parades. "I am disappointed there were clashes and unnecessary casualties," he said.

Jakarta military commander Sutiyoso said the quality and quantity of violations in this election had increased significantly.

"From today (Wednesday) until the end of the campaign period, 2,000 reserve forces will be deployed in risky areas such as Otista and Warung Buncit, South Jakarta," he said.

Sutiyoso also said he had already prepared some 20,000 security officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police to help secure Jakarta and its satellite towns of Bekasi, Bogor and Tangerang in the final rounds of election campaigns and the May 24-28 cooling down period.

He warned that while thus far security officers had been very tolerant, they would no longer be so lenient and that troublemakers would be dealt with swiftly.

Deaths

Jakarta police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata told journalists Wednesday that during the campaign there had some 2,700 violations of the campaign rules in the greater Jakarta area. The bulk of these were traffic violations, with 120 cars being impounded for various infringements.

He said that there were also 130 campaign-related criminal offenses and 56 suspects were being held.

The toll of campaign-related deaths in the city rose to 17 Tuesday with the death of 17-year-old Adam Chaeruddin. The technical high school student, according to Hamami, died of bullet wounds. He did not elaborate.

A statement from the United Development Party (PPP) said a delegation paying their respects to the victim's relatives reported that the left side of the victim's body had been pierced by a sharp bullet which went all the way through and out of his back.

According to Ani, the victim's mother, Adam had participated in PPP campaigns from the first round. However on Tuesday he was not wearing any PPP clothing because he knew the party had canceled its campaigning in Jakarta.

"He said he was going out," Ani recalled. "Then I heard the sound of shooting and told my children to come into the house. Adam was the only one I couldn't find," she said.

"My son was found lying outside. He had been shot. There was a lot of blood and screaming," she told the PPP delegation that visited her.

According to a PPP report the deceased's family asked that an autopsy should not be conducted.

Three other people were injured in Tuesday's melee in Waring Buncit, South Jakarta.

Taufik Garisan, 15, was hit on the left leg with a rubber bullet. Effendi, 31, had a shoulder cut by a rubber bullet while Amal Bastian, 23, received head wounds after being beaten. (ste/mds)