Shoe maker killed in clash

Shoe maker killed in clash

JAKARTA (JP): A 25-year-old shoe maker who was stabbed in the
neck during a clash in Bekasi on Tuesday died in the intensive
care unit of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital yesterday.

According to his brothers, Edy Elong of Jl. Cipendawa in
Bojong Menteng subdistrict, East Bekasi, was injured during a
revenge attack on a group of four youths on Jl. Raya Narogong.

One of Edy's brothers, David, 16, said the group had pelted
him and a second brother, Aat, with stones the night before when
they refused a request for money.

"Aat and I were going to a nearby telecommunications shop to
make a call to Padang in West Sumatra at about 11 p.m. on
Monday," he recalled. "But the shop was closed, so we turned back
for home."

"The four youths stopped us outside the shop and asked for
money. We told them that we only had money for a phone call and
walked on.

"We had gone about three meters when the group started to
throw stones at us, so we ran and caught a bus home," David said.

When he heard about the attack, Edy asked David, Aat and
another brother, Rul, to seek out the youths and take revenge.

They met the group and a scuffle began. Edy was stabbed then
the four youths fled, returning shortly with 50 local people as
reinforcements.

"They told the villagers we were thieves," said David.

After explaining the real story to the villagers, Edy was
rushed to Bekasi General Hospital, from where he was transferred
to Cipto Mangunkusumo due to the lack of adequate equipment at
the first hospital.

David said that none of the four youths had been arrested by
police.

Edy's corpse was to be buried yesterday at a cemetery in
Rawamangun, East Jakarta. (ivy)