10 Still at Large after Burning Gowa Regional Council Building

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - South Sulawesi Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Frans Barung Mangera said 10 have been included into the most wanted list following acts of violence at Gowa Regional Council building. “We expect them to immediately turn themselves in,” he said Wednesday.

Police arrested seven on Wednesday night, namely MR, 14, and NA, 15, both were the arsonists, also MUS, 16, AP, 16, MUR, 15, and SF, 16, who committed vandalism, and MY, 17, who stole a DVD player during the incident.

Meanwhile, the National Police General Inspector Comr. Gen. Dwi Priyatno had arrived at South Sulawesi Police headquarters to inspect the investigation into the case. He applauded the seven suspects’ arrest. Priyatno has further instructed police to capture the mastermind and all perpetrators.

According to Priyatno, police had tried their best to anticipate mass mobilization before the incident. However, violence flared up suddenly, making it difficult for police to handle. “Police personnel had stood guard, but we couldn’t foresee the unexpected incident,” he told reporters Wednesday at South Sulawesi Police headquarters.

Earlier on Monday, a group of people staged a rally that turned violent before the Gowa Regional Council. The protesters, who claimed to represent Gowa Royal Family, vandalized and burned the area.

They demanded Gowa Regional Council to repeal bylaw No. 5/2016 on Regional Indigenous Institutions. They said that the regional government did not take the interest of indigenous community and the royal family in Gowa District into account in the formulation of the bylaw.

ABDUL RAHMAN