Terrified senior citizens held hostage for a third day
Terrified senior citizens held hostage for a third day
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The violent attack on the century-old Pniel nursing home on Jl.
Samanhudi in Central Jakarta apparently has not satisfied the
unidentified attackers, who smashed their way in on Thursday and
remain holed up there alongside dozens of terrified senior
citizens.
As of Saturday afternoon, some 30 men were still essentially
occupying the compound, milling around ominously in the garden.
The thugs managed to break down several sections of the wall
that surrounds the compound. Most of the holes in the wall are
located near the rooms where 71 of the patients sleep.
The nursing home director Stien Hitipeuw said on Saturday that
the thugs had been loitering around the nursing home for over a
week, as a protracted legal dispute -- reportedly with Bank Artha
Graha -- over the ownership of the building and the valuable
7,000-square-meter plot of land seems to be coming to a violent
resolution. The value of the land itself is estimated at
approximately Rp 70 billion, (about US$ 8.3 million)
Stien implied that there was a strong indication that the
presence of the thugs was connected to the land dispute with
Artha Graha, which is controlled by controversial businessman
Tomy Winarta. However, it was unclear who ordered the attack, and
the thugs refused to answer any questions from journalists at the
nursing home.
Stien could not hide her disgust of the police for their total
lack of a response and seeming disregard of the horror that the
71 residents were experiencing.
"Our greatest weapon is prayer. God will help us," she said to
all the residents during a sermon on Saturday morning at the
Christian-affiliated home.
The senior citizens defiantly gathered in the garden in full
view of the thugs who have been terrorizing them, to sing hymns
and pray.
Stien speculated that another strike could be imminent
Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Central Jakarta Police deputy chief Adj. Comr.
Ricky F. Wakanno claimed by phone that his office had deployed
officers to the location, however, local journalists there did
not see one police officer on Saturday.
"I will personally check the location and coordinate with the
Sawah Besar subprecinct to prevent further attacks," he said.
The attack, which was broadcast throughout on national TV, has
worried many of the patients' relatives, some of whom quickly
rushed to the nursing home.
One family member, Semiati, 35, saw the news on TV on Saturday
morning and left her office to check on her mother, Kamina, 78.
After watching the TV news, Semiati had the impression that
the nursing home was totally demolished and there could have been
fatalities. She felt relieved that her mother was in reasonably
good condition and that nobody has been physically assaulted yet.
Kamina -- who has lived in Southeast Asia's oldest nursing
home, originally named Diaconie Hofjie, for the past five years
-- was intensely frightened during the attack and still remains
nearly in a state of shock.
"This is a place where old people live. Why are they doing
this to our home?," she asked through her tears.
Kamina's used to live with her family, but she sold the family
apartment in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, five years ago, and
moved to Pniel.
"Mother wouldn't have to live in this nursing house if she
hadn't sold the apartment. Now we don't have a real family
house," said Semiati.
Kamina quickly replied, "I admit it was my mistake. I'm sorry
so please don't bring it up ever again."
She added that she was quite upset and worried about where she
would live if the thugs succeeded in kicking her out.