Tasikmalaya riot claims three lives

Tasikmalaya riot claims three lives

By MMI Ahyani

TASIKMALAYA, West Java (JP): Three people were found dead
yesterday, casualties of the rioting that erupted Thursday over
alleged brutality by police against residents but which later
developed into racist and sectarian violence.

Commander of the Siliwangi military command Maj. Gen. Tayo
Tarmadi was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday there were no
casualties in the incident. Other news agencies reported two
deaths, while sources told The Jakarta Post that three bodies had
been found.

One of the victims was a woman of Chinese descent, Giok Ie
Wie, 45, whose charred body was found in the rubble of her
leather shop on Jalan H. Zaenal Mustofa. Another victim was a
male rioter who fell from a speeding truck, and the third was a
woman; the identities of two of the victims have yet to be
established.

Tayo called on the town's residents yesterday to maintain calm
and not be provoked by rumors. Accompanied by chief of West Java
police Maj. Gen. Nana Permana and leader of the Condong Islamic
boarding school, KH Makmun, Tayo nevertheless warned against
further attempts at unrest.

Speaking also in his capacity as chairman of the West Java
office of the security agency Bakorstanasda, Tayo said he would
take firm action against anyone committing abuse or vandalism.

"Please remember the destruction that occurred in
Tasikmalaya...was not committed by those from the pesantren
(Islamic boarding schools) because I believe the residents are
people of faith," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Dozens of factories, at least three churches, a school, at
least three major department stores, dozens of smaller shops and
scores of cars and other vehicles were either burnt or damaged in
the violence that broke out Thursday afternoon and lasted well
into yesterday afternoon. It was sparked by local pesantren
students protesting alleged mistreatment by police of their
teachers.

Separately, in Jakarta, President Soeharto warned society
against people attempting to trigger unrest among religious
groups.

Addressing thousands of members of the Armed Forces and civil
servants at their joint celebration of Christmas at Jakarta
Convention Center last night, Soeharto called for self-restraint
when facing sensitive religious issues.

"Religious communities need to exercise self-restraint, by
avoiding activities which may disturb people of other faiths...or
hurt them," he said.

Uneasy calm returned to the city yesterday afternoon, although
violence spread to neighboring districts. The district of Ciawi,
located 20 kilometers northwest of here, and the Cilawu district,
saw at least five shops and six trucks burnt by rioters.

Most of the 5,000 residents of Chinese descent in Tasikmalaya,
whose population is 1.6 million, are being sheltered and guarded
by security officers in various government offices.

Meanwhile, looters made their way through half-burnt and
damaged shops and factories, especially in the commercial center
of Jalan H. Zaenal Mustofa. Some residents, however, said the
looters were not pesantren students.

"Those looters are criminals," a resident said.

Troops from Siliwangi military command have rounded up 160
people, mostly youths caught looting. One of those detained was a
sixth-grade elementary school student. Police have detained
another 24 people.

"The rest were residents tempted into looting. Some of the
others are repeat offenders," Maj. Gen. Tayo Tarmadi said.

As of yesterday afternoon, troops from six battalions from the
Siliwangi military command and the Army Strategic Command
(Kostrad) were still deployed. Almost every corner and turn in
the city was guarded by a group of five or six men.

Commander of the Tarumanegara local military resort Col. M.
Yasin, in a meeting with West Java Governor R. Nuriana earlier
yesterday, said he was concerned the unrest could spread even
further, for instance to Garut, some 50 kilometers west of
Tasikmalaya.

He also said his people had detained one person found handing
out leaflets instigating people to take to the streets. As of
yesterday afternoon, Garut was calm, albeit tense.

The administration started clearing debris from the city right
after the Friday midday prayer. Dozens of street sweepers and
garbage trucks were deployed on the streets where smoke was still
billowing from burnt buildings.

"The city administration only has two fire trucks," said Tayo
when asked why the authorities did not try to extinguish the
fires when the rioting began.

Tasikmalaya Regent Suljana Wirata told the Post he hoped the
city would soon recover from the shock so that normal activities
could resume Monday.

The Post counted at least 75 shops in the first kilometer of
the two-kilometer Jalan H. Zaenal Mustofa which had been
destroyed, 30 of them were burnt.

The city was still sealed off to incoming traffic. Approaching
vehicles were all parked in the Cikoneng village.

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