Three dead in recent student brawl toll

JAKARTA (JP): Three deaths and 41 injured were recorded in 40 student brawls in the capital over the last three months, an official of the city's Social Disturbance Control Center said on Tuesday.

Raya Siahaan said two were killed and 25 hurt last month, while the other fatality and another 14 injuries occurred in October, and two wounded in September.

"We counted 40 students brawls in the last three months in at least 26 student brawl spots throughout the city."

He added that 10 brawls occurred in September, and 15 each in October and November.

"Eleven of the brawls happened in West Jakarta, nine in Central and East Jakarta each, seven in North Jakarta and four in South Jakarta."

The 26 student brawl spots, he said, included the Tanah Abang area, Cempaka Putih and Galur in Central Jakarta and Ancol, Cilincing and Jl. Enggano in North Jakarta.

In West Jakarta, areas included Petamburan, Taman Sari, Jl. Daan Mogot, Gadjah Mada, Cengkareng and Kebon Jeruk.

South Jakarta spots included Jl. Trunojoyo, while in East Jakarta, Kampung Melayu, the Pulomas, Jl. A. Yani and Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan.

Last week two city councilors -- Agus Waluyo and Sulaiman S.B. Ismaya -- urged schools to require their students to switch from uniforms to regular clothes after classes in an effort to curb the escalating number of student street brawls.

"As far as I know, the student uniforms are a main factor causing the brawls because students sometimes do not recognize their enemies but their uniform," Agus said.

"I therefore hope that this time such a drive could succeed in easing the brawls as it has been proven that no student brawls have been recorded during school holidays, when there is no one wearing school uniforms on the streets."

Police data from this year showed the number of students killed in brawls also included two in January and one in March. Last year, at least 13 students died, police data said. (ylt)