Shoot-on-sight order issued in N. Sumatra

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan

Following rampant brawls involving youth organizations, North Sumatra provincial police declared on Tuesday that they would shoot on sight anyone involved in brawling.

Spokesman of North Sumatra provincial police Sr. Comr. Bambang Prihady said that the order, which came from the chief, was aimed only at incapacitating the people concerned, not killing them. "It is action of the last resort. The police are encouraged to shoot them on sight, if brawls have endangered the lives of others, including police personnel," said Bambang.

The statement came after rampant brawls in the past month, which led to the death of four people in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province.

The brawls involved the Pancasila Youth and the Functional Youth Union in which the motive behind the brawling was mostly competition for the management of parking lots.

The last brawl occurred on Saturday in Labuhan Deli, which caused serious injury to a police officer, such that he had to be treated at Gleneagles Hospital, Medan.

Separately, North Sumatra Governor Rizal Nurdin urged the leaders of both youth groups to calm their members and ordered them not to get involved in brawling anymore.

The governor, a former military commander, also supported a move by the provincial police, who have imposed a province-wide, shoot-on-sight order.

"This is not a cowboy state where people can wander freely, carrying guns and machetes," said Rizal.

However, Rizal called on the police to obey their own rules and procedures before they shot on sight anyone involved in brawling.

According to the procedure, once the police are called to intervene in a brawl, they warn the people involved to stop forthwith. If the people refuse, the police fire a warning shot.

Only if their lives and that of others are endangered, may the police be allowed to shoot brawlers down.