Three injured in Tanah Abang fresh clash

JAKARTA (JP): A clash between two groups of residents rocked Kebon Melati subdistrict, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, yesterday, leaving three people severely injured.

The fracas erupted at about 9 a.m. after Hengki, 24, was badly beaten up by a group of Irianese boys, who lived at Mess Cendrawasih boarding house on Jl. Kebon Melati III, Caca, one of the local residents, said.

"These groups have frequently been involved in quarrels for some time.

"Immediately after the beating, a group of Betawi (native Jakartan) boys living nearby attacked the boarding house," 34- year-old Caca said.

Hengky was being treated in Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital, Central Jakarta.

An hour later a passerby thought to be one of the Irianese boys was brutally attacked by Kebon Melati residents.

The victim, identified as Hotril, 30, was rushed to Mintohardjo Hospital in Central Jakarta after being cut with a machete on his back and suffering head injuries from being pelted with stones. Police officers had tried in vain to help him during the attack.

The third victim was Talon, a student of SMP 70 junior high school. He suffered a serious injury to his right arm and was also rushed to Mintohardjo hospital for treatment.

Talon was walking near the subdistrict office when he was suddenly attacked by two unidentified men, believed to be residents of Kebon Melati.

A mob then blindly attacked the Cendrawasih boarding house with rocks and bricks, turning the nearby Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur into a war zone as the Irianese boys responded by throwing bricks back.

The chaos calmed at about 2 p.m. after a fire engine sprayed water at the two gangs and a police helicopter told the warring parties to go home.

Some residents, still very emotional, screamed their lungs out at the officers and pelted journalists gathered across the road with stones.

"The blockage along Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur was opened at 2 p.m. after things returned to normal. We couldn't close the road for too long because it would have affected other areas and caused heavy traffic jams," Lt. Col. S. Widodo, the head of the Central Jakarta Military District Command 0501, said.

Some 200 police officers and 100 military personnel were deployed to secure the area.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna told reporters that the police were getting tired of such incidents.

"We're currently discussing several alternatives with the Central Jakarta Mayoralty that could be adopted to solve the brawling problems in Tanah Abang ," he said.

Central Jakarta Mayor Andi Subur Abdullah said last week that the mayoralty is negotiating with the Irian Jaya provincial administration over the status of the Cendrawasih boarding house that is currently occupied by some 300 Irian people. Irian Jaya is officially partly responsible for the boarding house.

"I'm thinking of making a barter deal with the Irian Jaya authorities. In the future the site of the boarding house could be utilized for the construction of a low-cost apartment.

"The city pays the electricity and water bills. Moreover, the condition of the house is awful and no longer suitable as a house. It is too crowded," Andi said as quoted by Harian Ekonomi Neraca.

No final decision has yet been made by the mayoralty on the status of the troubled Cendrawasih boarding house.

Iman said that yesterday's clash took the number of clashes in the area this year to 10.

Police records indicate there have been 12 crackdowns in the Tanah Abang area this year to eradicate hooliganism, gambling and prostitution and stop illegal construction.

Last year, there were 74 similar crackdown operations in the area. (edt)