Tanah Abang market shops closed after gang clash
Tanah Abang market shops closed after gang clash
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of shops and businesses were closed
and traffic disrupted yesterday as a fierce clash between two
gangs of hoodlums erupted in the Tanah Abang market area, Central
Jakarta.
The streets' usual people, pedestrians and vendors, fled as
dozens of members of the two gangs threw rocks at each other
about 9 a:m.
The scene became more dramatic when the warring gang members
emerged with swords and other weapons ready to kill their
opponents. Members of both gangs wielded machetes, samurai
swords, maces and axes.
Locals said the two gangs were battling over territory. No
fatalities were reported but some gang members were slightly
injured.
Chief of the Tanah Abang Police subprecinct Maj. Zulkarnain
said the clash involved two gangs led by the notorious hoodlums
Hercules and Iyus.
"They fought each other over land territory in the Tanah Abang
market area," Zulkarnain said.
Hundreds of police and troops were deployed to avoid further
clashes. They carried iron shields, rattan sticks and rifles.
High ranking City Military Command officers were at the scene.
It seemed the officers found it hard to disperse the gangs.
Disturbances erupted now and then despite the police and troop
presence.
Police and troops dispersed the gang members after four hour
of brawling. At least 20 people were arrested but police did not
give an official number. The military and the police could not
say if those arrested were released yesterday or detained.
The traffic was back to normal by 1:00 p.m. as street vendors
started to fill the northern fringe of Jl. Kebon Jati.
Many public transport vehicle drivers complained about a drop
in earnings because they had to cover a longer route from
Kebayoran Lama to Tanah Abang.
Local traders were also disgruntled as they had to close their
shops on a day when a many people usually throng the market to
buy goods for the first day of Ramadhan.
Tanah Abang is the center of Jakarta's textile trade with an
estimated daily turnover of billions of rupiah.
The City Military Commander, Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso, and Governor
Surjadi Soedirdja recently called on all layers of society
to be more alert to possible conflicts.
Sutiyoso and Surjadi's appeal was understandable because the
country had just been rocked by bloody riots in West Java and
West Kalimantan.
Arch rivals
The two gangs live on the money they collect from small
traders in the market area, public transport van drivers and
prostitutes in the Bongkaran redlight district.
Report said Hercules and Iyus had been good friends in the
past but had a falling out over dividing up money.
Rumors have it the gangs collect as much as Rp 10 million
(US$4210) a month.
Police said the gangs became enemies and began fighting over
the lucrative territory last month. It got nasty on Jan. 1 when
Iyus' friends stabbed Hercules.
Hercules is reportedly being treated at the Kramatjati Police
Hospital in East Jakarta.
Alfredo Monteiro, 21, a friend of Hercules, said Iyus' men had
assaulted Hercules so it was time for revenge. "What we do now is
eye for an eye," said the cloth vendor.
Monteiro accused Iyus' men of disrupting his business.
Another friend of Hercules, Justino Lopez, said Iyus' gang
members attacked him and his friends at Hercules' house on Jl.
Kalimati, Jati Bunder sub-district at 6:00 a.m yesterday.
(jun/07/03)