Haidir Anwar Tanjung/BI & GB, Pekan Baru – When the 'Laskar Jihad', or Jihad Warriors, of Riau on Sumatra island burned down 100 properties belonging to people they claimed were involved in prostitution during the holy fasting month, little did they know it would unleash a wave of violence in the broader community.
Last Thursday, members of the United Riau Melayu Laskar Jihad (LJMRB) set off in over 10 trucks to a location in Duri city, Riau province, they claimed harbored illicit activities. They razed to the ground around 100 buildings and targeted houses they claimed belonged to brothel owners.
The attack struck fear into the residents of Duri who have deserted the streets despite the imminent onset of the Christmas, Lebaran and New Year's holidays. The attack also unleashed such anger that possibly hundreds of residents set up a blockade of the Pekanbaru-Medan route, from Riau's capital of Pekanbaru to the capital of neighbouring North Sumatra province, Medan.
The blockade caused a traffic jam stretching many kilometers in both directions as people attempted to join their families for the coming celebrations.
Local police were forced to deal with the situation and on Saturday the blockaders and security forces clashed. Two people were reportedly shot dead by police on the Pekanbaru-Medan route.
When contacted by Detik for confirmation, Riau Police Spokesperson Superintendent S Pandiangan SH said that only one had died. "Only one person from Nias was killed after being hit by a rubber bullet right in the throat," he said.
He added that the police had followed normal procedures in attempting to disburse the blockaders. The Mobile Brigade had asked them to go home. "Only, the people rushed the police and swords, spears and molotov cocktails were launched. Because of the situation, the police fired warning shots but it wasn't heeded. Because of that, they fired with rubber bullets," said Pandiangan.
By Saturday, one company of Mobile Brigade, one company of soldiers from the 132 battalion, one platoon of Riau police, one unit of Riau Police intelligence and one unit of Bengkalis traffic police have been deployed to watch over the situation in Duri. Although the traffic has started to flow after the shooting incident, public buses are not plying the Pekanbaru-Medan route.
The police's main concern now is containing the heated emotions of the people of Duri in the aftermath of the attack on the brothel area and police shooting. Pandiangan fears inter-ethnic tensions may explode. Detikwolrd has also noted that various communities in Duri have formed ad hoc guard teams to secure their districts.
Pandiangan has appealed to the people of Duri not to be provoked by recent events. "From the results of a meeting of the security forces with religious and community leaders, it has been decided that all Duri residents should return to their homes," he said.
Meanwhile, the Riau government are preparing to take responsibility for the burning of the properties last Thursday. "At present, the security forces and various government agencies are evacuating several of the burnt houses. From the results of this, the provincial government will give money to the value of houses before [the incident]. However, clearly the government will only be reimbursing them for their houses not for the brothels," said Pandiangan.
He did not say if the government would be taking action against the Laskar Jihad who have been acting with seeming impunity since the onset of the fasting month on November 27 in many major cities across Indonesia.