TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The people involved in the Manggarai clash turned out to communicate through text messages prior to the clash. Before the clash occurred, there was a chain message and flare explosion which marks the beginning of the incident.

The information was revealed by Chief of Hamlet 05 in Manggarai Isnu Dwi Haryanto. "Always marked with chain messages and flare explosion," Isnu said on Friday, September 6, 2019.

Within the week, three clashes have occurred. The first incident was on Monday, September 2, 2019; Tuesday, September 3, 2019; and the climax occurred on Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

The parties involved in the clashes were residents of Tambak and Megazen, Tebet (South Jakarta) and residents of Menteng Tenggulun, West Jakarta.

Isnu said that during the clash last Wednesday, five hours before the clash, the local District Assembly had received a chain message through WhatsApp. The message stated that there will be an attack on 5:00 PM. "I read the letter from one of the residents who was involved in the clash at 1:00 PM," he said.

According to Isnu, the purpose of the flare and rifle explosion was to lure the enemy. The explosion originated from the residents of Menteng Tenggulun to lure the masses from Hamlet 05, Hamlet 06, and Hamlet 12, Manggarai.

The clash occurred at around the Manggarai trains tracks before it went out of control and cover the Jayakarta pedestrian crossing. In the incident, the opposing groups were seen throwing stones and carrying weapon.

The Police and the Indonesian Army immediately conducted a sweeping on Friday, September 6, 2019, in the Megazen residential. As a result, dozens of people were arrested, meanwhile five were underage and were found carrying sharp weapons.

ANTARAM