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Fight with locals forces student evacuation
Hundreds of students from the Arastamar Theological College (Setia) were evacuated from their campus in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, on Sunday, following clashes between students and local residents
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Hundreds of students from the Arastamar Theological College (Setia) were evacuated from their campus in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, on Sunday, following clashes between students and local residents.
"The situation in the area got very heated, so the police and the campus' management decided to evacuate all of the students, especially those residing in the school's dormitories," Setia spokesman Bayu Kusumo told The Jakarta Post.
"It looks like certain people in the area recruited people from other groups to brutally attack the students."
A clash broke out Saturday between Kampung Pulo residents and Setia students after a student allegedly stole from a resident.
The school's female and male dormitories were heavily damaged during the clash as unidentified people threw Molotov cocktails into the school compound. Several residents and students were also injured in the attack.
The district administration attempted to mediate between the feuding sides, but the situation deteriorated again on Sunday afternoon.
Bayu said more than 100 students were moved to the offices of the Makassar subdistrict administration, while the rest were taken to the offices of the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta.
During the evacuation, he added, two male students were attacked by unknown assailants.
"The police were protecting the students as they led them from Kampung Pulo to a shelter in Kampung Lembur, which is about 800 meters from here," he said.
"The men came out of nowhere and hurt our two friends. Both sustained injuries to their elbows, but they are safe now.
"We still don't know who assaulted them. We don't blame the police for that incident because the situation was chaotic. The police have promised to arrest the perpetrators."
East Jakarta Mayor Murdani said he would check Setia's property certificates and operating permits, following claims by local residents the school was misusing the permits.
"I will have their permits checked. In the meantime, I suggest Setia students not provoke the residents by doing anything harmful," he said as quoted by okezone.com.
East Jakarta Police chief Comr. Sr. Hasanuddin said the police would confiscate all weapons possessed by the residents and students.
Bayu said the school's management was completely unaware of the reason behind the attacks and the residents' anger.
"We've been operating since 1991. We only engage in basic educational activities," he said.
He added that protests from local residents began escalating six months ago, but could speculate on the cause.
