Two people killed in fresh attacks in Yogyakarta
Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
At least two people have been killed and several others wounded when two separate groups of people dressed in Ninja garb attacked rivals linked to major political parties in Yogyakarta province.
Sigit Purnomo, a supporter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), died on Wednesday after a group of rivals believed to be members of the United Development Party (PPP) attacked him at around 4 a.m.
The Ninja-garbed attackers riding motorcycles stabbed Sigit outside Jogja Cafe located on Jl. Kyai Mojo, where he worked as a car park security guard.
He died from serious head injuries a few minutes after being rushed to Bethesda hospital. His friend Sudarsono was wounded in the leg during the attack.
Earlier on Tuesday, another PDI Perjuangan supporter, identified as Nurgianto, was also fatally attacked by a similar group of people wearing masks and carrying spears and machetes.
They also attacked at least five kiosks and houses, including one belonging to Nurgianto, who is a member of the local PDI Perjuangan security task force.
Another unnamed party sympathizer was injured in Tuesday's incident.
Also on Tuesday evening, similar attacks were launched at the branch offices of PDI Perjuangan and PPP in Yogyakarta.
However, local police refrained from saying if the two separate attacks were related despite similarities.
"No matter what is behind the two incidents, police will treat them as criminal cases," Yogyakarta Police intelligence chief Comr. Suroto said.
He said that police were investigating the incidents to seek the motive behind them.
On Feb. 3, clashes also erupted in the tourist city when PDI Perjuangan supporters attacked rival PPP supporters who had just left a rally to celebrate the party's 29th anniversary.
Leaders of both parties held a meeting at the city's police office on Wednesday.
They agreed to take measures to prevent their supporters from being involved in attacks on rival groups.
During the meeting, PPP was represented by its local senior leader Nanda Irwan, and PDI Perjuangan by Cindelaras Yulianto and Andre Subiantoro.
"No concrete measures were agreed to in the meeting. But, the two sides are committed to ending the violence," Suroto said.
Police said Yogyakarta was still tense as retaliation attacks between rivals were rumored to be going to take place on Wednesday night.
The violent brawls between PDI Perjuangan and PPP supporters are linked to the long-standing rivalry between the parties.
Intelligence sources in Yogyakarta Police said a more serious incident could occur if the conflicting sides did not restrain themselves.
"Actually this is also part of longstanding rivalry between different groups of hoodlums in Yogyakarta, affiliated to PDI Perjuangan and PPP," a police source told The Jakarta Post.
Leaders of PDI Perjuangan and PPP, however, blamed provocateurs for the latest incidents.
"I'm sure that this was not done by our party supporters. This is the work of provocateurs," secretary of PPP provincial branch Muslih Ilyas said.
Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, and provincial police chief Brigadier General Wahyu Saronto appeared on state television on Tuesday to appeal for calm.
The sultan was accompanied by provincial leaders from the two parties in the television appearance, during which he expressed regret over the incidents.
The sultan said the people of Yogyakarta would suffer a huge loss if such attacks were not put to an end.