Asia-Pacific
Tomb protest turns deadly in Indonesia's Jakarta
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-04-15 14:46
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 Residents attack and burn a water cannon during a clash near Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta April 14, 2010. Residents clashed with security officers over a plan to renovate an area containing the tomb of an Islamic scholar. [Agencies] |
JAKARTA, Indonesia: Protesters wielding machetes, sticks and petrol bombs clashed with riot police in running battles over a Muslim cleric's tomb near the Indonesian capital's main seaport, killing two people and wounding some 130 others.
Some of the injuries were severe, including an officer who had his stomach slashed and another whose hand was chopped off. Wednesday's violence was Jakarta's worst civil unrest in years.
About 2,000 city security officers and 600 police used tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and batons to beat back the protesters near the seaport of Tanjung Priok in northern Jakarta, city spokesman Cucu Kurnia said. Police estimated the number of protesters at 500.
The demonstrators threw rocks and petrol bombs, setting fire to at least five police vehicles and destroying dozens of others.
An Associated Press photographer saw several protesters beaten by police and dragged away bleeding, including teenagers. Fist fights broke out and burning tires and cars sent a cloud of black smoke over the port.
The protesters believed city officials were trying to remove the tomb of an Arab cleric who helped spread Islam in North Jakarta in the 18th century. The tomb is on land owned by the state-run seaports operator Pelindo II, and the area is home to many squatters.
Two people were killed in the clashes and the death toll could increase, deputy national police spokesman Col. Zaenuri Lubis told reporters late Wednesday.
The demonstration began in the morning when hundreds of security officials showed up near the tomb with excavators. Kurnia denied the tomb was the target, saying the city wanted to remove the squatters.
"We did not intend to demolish the tomb, but we want to evict the illegal settlers. In fact, the local government wanted to preserve or restore the tomb," Kurnia said.
The protesters believed otherwise and attacked city officials, sparking running battles that lasted several hours. A second round of intense fighting broke out hours later outside the hospital where the wounded had been taken. By nightfall the clashes had stopped, but the situation was still tense.
