Traumatic May riots still haunt people

By Hera Diani

JAKARTA (JP): On this day back in 1998, the capital was paralyzed as thousands of rioters poured forth on to the streets in an orgy of violence the left hundreds of buildings and vehicles ransacked and burned.

The sky was black with smoke from the fires blazing in countless shopping centers, banks, automobile showrooms, discotheques, shops and offices at different locations all over the capital, as well as the neighboring cities of Tangerang and Bekasi.

The three days of rioting from May 13 to May 15 claimed over 1,000 lives, injured many others and left most residents living in fear. Dozens of Chinese Indonesian women were also reportedly raped, gang-raped or sexually assaulted.

More than 5,000 buildings, 1,000 cars and 500 motorcycles were also set ablaze, causing estimated losses of Rp 2.5 trillion.

Fast-forward to May 2001. Three years have passed but the traces of the riots can still be found.

Many badly damaged and abandoned buildings, and shops with broken windows, are still to be seen in places such as the Glodok business center in West Jakarta.

This place was one of the main targets of the vandalism and looting as many Chinese Indonesians ran their businesses and lived in the area.

Many shop owners here still recall the horror of the riots. One such person is Hendra, the owner of the Edison household goods store in Harco Glodok.

"That day, we already knew about the riots (which were extensively reported by local private television and radio stations), so most of us closed up our shops. But that didn't stop them (the mobs) from looting us," Hendra told The Jakarta Post last week.

Not only the shop, Hendra said, looters also broke into his house in nearby Jembatan Dua.

"Thank God, though, they didn't hurt us. They only took our belongings," he said, adding that the riot caused him over Rp 1 billion (US$90,090.1) in material losses.

Hendra said that 90 percent of the Chinese Indonesian residences in the area were attacked and looted.

"The rest were missed because they lived in small alleys," he said, admitted that he and his family had fled the city.

Cing Cing, the owner of a small shop across the street from Hendra's, was among those who escaped the looting.

"I closed the shop and went home because I'd seen the riots on TV," she told the Post.

The upper part of her shop's facade, which is glass, has still not been repaired.

"I rent this place, and we only occupy the first floor. Besides, what's the use of fixing the building up anyway? Another riot could occur anytime," Cing Cing said pessimistically.

Like Cing Cing's store, the nearby door knob and lock store, PD Ingat Terus, has also left the damaged parts of its facade unrepaired.

"Why bother? It's only wasting money. Look at the shop across the street. They fixed it, but the mob damaged it again," said a member of the store's staff.

Another shopping center which was damaged during the riots was Slipi Jaya, also in West Jakarta.

The place has reestablished itself and reopened almost a year ago, and no traces of the riots are now to be seen. But the memories of the store owners and security guards live on.

"It was horrible. This place was burned to the ground, only the basement parking lot was saved," said Muhardi, a security guard.

Hundreds of looters were ransacking the store and were running back and forth carrying their goods.

"But then a fire broke out and the looters became trapped," Muhardi said.

Many stores have since moved, he added, but several still exist, like the Singgalang jewelry store and the Top Star shoe store.

Ah Fi, owner of Top Star, said he hoped such riots would never happen again.

"I was unemployed for over two years until I finally reopened this store 10 months ago," he said.

Cing Cing and Hendra also voiced the sentiment in the hope that they would be able to finally repair their premises and not have to flee anymore.