Tanah Abang area again hit by clashes

JAKARTA (JP): At least two youngsters were severely injured in two separate clashes between Betawi (native Jakartan) residents of Kebon Melati and occupants of the Mess Cendrawasih boarding house from Irian Jaya in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, yesterday afternoon.

The first clash began at 4.30 p.m. after Farid, a 19-year-old Betawi resident, was attacked by an unidentified youth who lives in the boarding house.

"Farid was parking his motorbike near Jl. Mess (now called Jl. Pala 5) when he was attacked. His back was badly lacerated when he was struck with a machete.

"Luckily he managed to escape and reported the incident to local residents," Abdul Mutalib, 48, said.

The motive for the attack was not clear, but Abdul said that Betawi and Irianese residents in the area had been involved in an often bitter feud for a long time.

Jl. Mess is opposite Jl. Kebon Melati III where the boarding house is located.

Shortly after news of the attack on Farid spread through the Kebon Melati area, Betawi (native Jakartan) residents in the area, including teenagers and housewives, thronged to the boarding house armed with knives and pans and began to throw stones at it.

While the clash was still going on, another brawl involving youths erupted on the nearby soccer field.

Raqif, 19, a Betawi youth, was rushed to Mintohardjo Hospital after being stabbed in the chest with an arrow by an Irianese teenager.

Chaidir Rohamsyah, 40, said the incident started when a group of Irianese youths walked onto the field and grabbed the Betawi youth's football.

The second incident inflamed the anger of the crowd outside the Cendrawasih boarding house and they began to rain bricks and other missiles down on the boarding house.

Nearby Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur resembled a war zone after Irianese residents in the area retaliated.

"It was truly chaos," Chaidir said.

Two hundred police officers and 300 military personnel were dispatched to the scene to stop the fighting, but were greeted with stones thrown by Betawi residents.

The crowd finally dispersed peacefully at 6.30 p.m.

None of the Irianese youths involved in the incidents were available for comment yesterday.

Part of Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur was temporarily closed by security officers during the clash.

Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said at the scene: "These people are desperate to fight. I do not understand how small incidents can escalate into serious clashes like this."

Both groups of residents promised never to fight again after a similar brawl about a month ago, recalled Iman, shaking his head.

Iman told reporters that the police were getting tired of the long-running feud between the two groups in the area and he promised to bring those responsible to justice.

No arrests had been made by late yesterday evening and police were still conducting enquiries.

"We'll summon representatives of both groups," Iman said.

Central Jakarta Mayor Andi Subur Abdullah once said that the mayoralty had discussed the status of the boarding house with the Irian Jaya provincial administration. Irian Jaya authorities are partly responsible for the Cendrawasih boarding house which is home to 300 people from the country's easternmost province.

No final decision has been taken on by the mayoralty on the status of the troubled boarding house.

Iman said that yesterday's clash took the number of violent incidents in the area to 15 this year. (edt)