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)