Several cities count the cost of recent riots
JAKARTA (JP): As normality returned, several towns shook by unrest following Megawati Soekarnoputri's defeat in the presidential election began to count the losses on Friday.
Badung regent I Gusti Bagus Alit Putra said two days of rioting on Wednesday and Thursday had cost his province billions of rupiah.
"We did not expect this to happen again. The (unrest) was an outburst of mass spontaneity," Alit told Antara in Badung, which abuts Denpasar, the capital of Bali.
Economic activities on the island of paradise were back to normal as traditional markets, shops and supermarkets reopened.
"We're also beginning to pull back a company of elite Mobile Brigade Police as calm has resumed here," Bali Police Intelligent Unit chief Col. M. Sitorus, said.
Riots rocked Bali, the popular traditional political stronghold of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), paralyzing the capital of Denpasar with looting and arson. Disturbances also erupted in the areas of Badung, Buleleng and Jembrana regency.
Antara also reported that the Gilimanuk ferry port returned to normal operations on Friday. Dozens of ships had halted operations and berthed at the docks of Ketapang port a day earlier.
The Gilimanuk port connects Bali with the two main ports of Ketapang in Madura and Banyuwangi, East Java.
Riots in Surakarta, also a political stronghold of PDI Perjuangan, caused at least Rp 14 billion in losses, Surakarta regent Imam Soetopo said.
The regent was forced to conduct his duties under a tree after his office was attacked on Wednesday. Some 2,800 staff of the mayoralty office worked in temporary shelters.
"I and all subordinates here are always ready to serve the people. There is no holiday despite the fact that our office was damaged," Soetopo told The Jakarta Post.
He said he regretted the brutal action. "I'm not sure that Mbak (Sister) Megawati's supporters ran amok and set all the buildings on fire. There must be those who do not like the current government," Soetopo said.
An inmate of Surakarta Penitentiary, identified as Encik, surrender himself to police after escaping from the prison with 22 others during the Wednesday riot, Surakarta City Police chief Lt. Col. Roby Kaligis said on Friday. On Thursday police netted Loso, one of the fugitives at his house in Karanganyar.
"So far police have arrested 33 suspects involved in the Wednesday fray," said Surakarta Regional Police chief Col. Aris Sampurno Jati.
Megawati's failure to clinch the presidency led to five mayoralty legislative council members representing PDI Perjuangan announcing their retirement.
In Semarang, about 10,000 security troops and civilian militia members of PDI Perjuangan were deployed to secure the return of thousands of supporters from Jakarta, according to Central Java Police spokesman Lt. Col. Ramli El Aris.
"We have secured particularly Java's north coastal lane and various railway stations as well as bus terminals to prevent any clashes," he said.
In Batam, Riau Police chief Brig. Gen. M. Arifin Rachim said that riots had caused at least Rp 337 million in losses. "Eleven alleged rioters have been netted during the fray," he said.
In Medan, North Sumatra, people started their day as usual following Megawati's election as vice president. (39/45/44/har/zen/edt)