Two men questioned over burning of Ciawi nightspot
Two men questioned over burning of Ciawi nightspot
BOGOR (JP): Police were still questioning two men over the
weekend who are believed to have incited hundreds of people to
burn three entertainment spots in the popular Ciawi mountainous
resort area here last Thursday.
Bogor regional police chief Col. Hari Setyabudhi said Saturday
the men, whose identities are being withheld, were detained after
intensive questioning of dozens of witnesses following the
destruction of nightspots Duta Parahiangan II and Saung Kawita
and a billiard center named Ibu Tutuk.
"Up to now, we have not named any suspects, but we believe the
two men were the masterminds of the mayhem," Hari told media.
Hari quoted a witness as saying that hundreds of locals,
mostly youngsters, were seen gathered in front of Duta
Parahiangan at 9 p.m. The crowd grew rapidly in number.
Two hours later, the stone-carrying mob warned the patrons and
workers at the nightspot and the two nearby places to leave
because they were intent on destroying the buildings.
After determining the people had left, the mob stoned the
buildings and set them on fire.
"The people were furious because owners of the entertainment
spots have seemingly ignored the appeal from the local Moslem
preachers and the regent's decision to stop operating," officer
Hari said.
No injuries were reported and owners of the establishments
were still calculating material losses.
About 140 Moslem preachers from Ciawi, Megamendung and Cisarua
districts have repeatedly visited the regency and the city
council, demanding the authorities permanently close down all
entertainment spots in the area.
They argued the nightspots were fronts for vice and violated
religious teachings.
Bogor Regent Eddie Yoso Martadipura decided earlier this month
to temporarily close the establishments until an agreement was
reached between the owners and the preachers.
No agreement has been reached and the regent has not lifted
his decision, but some nightspots are apparently still operating.
Chief of the regional inspector Fauzi Si'in said he had sealed
several establishments following the regent's decision.
But the buildings destroyed last week were among those that
ignored the regent's decision.
"The operators should respect the aspirations of the local
community who asked them to stop operating," Fauzi said. (ivy/24)