Tanah Abang rocked by riot

JAKARTA (JP): A violent clash between hundreds of roadside vendors and city public order officials in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, culminated yesterday in the burning of two municipal buildings and seven cars.

The enraged vendors burned the district head's office and the fire also gutted part of a nearby Ministry of Religious Affairs office.

The vendors, yelling "the officials are killers", then tried to run away. Eight of them were arrested.

Yesterday's riot, in which there were no casualties, underlined Tanah Abang's status as one of the city's "hottest areas" after a gang war took place there earlier this month.

Eyewitnesses said the violence, which erupted at 10:30 a.m., started after public order officials raided the vendors, confiscated merchandise and arrested a vendor named Ujang.

Tanah Abang is a haven for roadside vendors during Ramadhan as the mayoralty provides them with legal business spaces.

The traders said they were provoked after five public order officials drove over their wares, hitting one person. Unconfirmed rumors circulated that the trader died after the accident.

The vendors then attacked the patrol vehicles while the officials escaped on foot. The vendors pelted the officials' cars with anything they could find, turning them all upside down, and setting one on fire.

Of the city's public order officials' six cars, five were badly damaged and one was completely burned.

The situation became more inflamed as the angry traders, swelled by other people into a 500-strong mob, rushed to the Tanah Abang district head's office on Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur. There they overturned a car belonging to the deputy head of the district, M. Abdurachman, and burned it. The owner reportedly fainted after witnessing the incident.

After burning the cars, the rioters proceeded to the district head's office, doused the building with gasoline taken from the cars, and torched the three-story building.

Only one fire truck was available in Central Jakarta as all the others had been deployed to fight the fire which ravaged the Harco shopping complex in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta.

Pedestrians and passersby dispersed as the clash erupted and the streets in the area became silent. The majority of shops closed.

The authorities blocked the roads and diverted the traffic, causing chaos for more than four hours.

Hundreds of police and troops, armed with iron shields, rattan sticks and rifles, took four hours to disperse the mob. Traders in the market building and street vendors resumed business as usual at around 2:30 p.m..

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata confirmed the arrests of the eight vendors, saying that the number would probably increase.

The eight people were identified as Daniel (22), Alex Chandra (25), Sudirman (20), Hendrik (12), Hendi (20), Willian (16), Ade Komarudin (20) and Hendra Chaniago (25).

The City Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso denied the rumors of the death of a vendor.

"Nobody was killed in the incident. The city public order officials did their duty according to procedure," Sutiyoso said at a fast-breaking gathering at the City Military Headquarters in East Jakarta last night.

Responding to Central Jakarta Mayor Abdul Kahfi's statements that hoodlums were probably behind the riot, Sutiyoso said that an investigation was already underway.

"We will clean the area of all hoodlums if we find they are behind the violence," he said.

Asked whether hoodlums were supported by the Jakarta Military, the two-star general said the military did not protect any hoodlums. "Why should we protect them?" he responded.

On Jan. 9, a street battle involving two gangs led by the notorious hoodlums Hercules and Iyus, erupted over "business territory."

Tanah Abang is the center of Jakarta's textile trade with an estimated daily turnover of billions of rupiah.

The gang members emerged with swords and other weapons ready to kill their opponents. Hundreds of police and troops were deployed to avoid massive bloodshed. The antagonists was dispersed after four hours of brawling.

At least 20 people were arrested after the clash, but no casualties were reported. (ste/jun)