Jakarta – About 200 people attacked and set on fire shops and vehicles in an eastern Indonesian town in protest against price hikes, the Jakarta Post reported on Monday. It said at least 16 shops, two cars and two motorcycles were damaged or set on fire during the disturbances on Sunday in Ende town on Flores island.

The violence followed similar riots in Bima town on nearby Sumbawa island on Saturday. At least two shops were burned and seven others damaged during a protest against rising prices of foodstuffs sparked by the country's currency crisis. The newspaper said some 200 people went on a rampage in Ende in protest against rising prices. It did not say who owned the shops that were targeted by the mob.

Indonesia's ethnic Chinese minority, who control much of the country's retail trade, have been the main targets of mob violence in riots against rising prices since the rupiah crashed last month. They also are mostly Buddhist or Christian in a mainly Moslem nation. Meanwhile, the Neraca newspaper said residents of Jakarta rushed to buy milk and cooking oil on Sunday because of rumours that prices would double. But the markets were mostly calm on Monday and there was no immediate word of any price hikes.