Riots across Jakarta orchestrated: Governor

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)