T

he security situation at Kusumadadi village in Bekri district, Central Lampung regency, was returning to normal on Friday after a large-scale deployment of police officers at the incident site.

“The masses have been calm and returned to their homes after last night’s riot,” first company commander of A Detachment of Lampung Police, Abdul Karim, said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Hundreds of residents from Buyut Udik village in Gunung Sugih district, Central Lampung, attacked Kusumadadi village on Thursday night.

Brandishing daggers and other weapons, an angry mob consisting mostly of indigenous Lampung people, set several houses on fire in the village which is inhabited by transmigrants from Java.

The attack was believed to be retaliation for the killing of a Buyut Udik resident, Hairil Anwar, 29, by Kesumadadi villagers on Oct. 18. Hairil was captured for his suspected involvement in the theft of three cows and was burned alive.

Abdul Karim said that up to 600 members of Lampung Police Mobile Brigade, previously deployed after a bloody attack where 12 people were killed in Balinuraga village late last month, were withdrawn
to Kusumadadi village, backed by the Indonesian military, local police officers and other law and order officers.

He explained at least 18 houses were set on fire during the attack, but there were no casualties.

The day after the riot, residents of Bekri and Gunung Sugih reached a peace agreement at a meeting witnessed by Central Lampung Regent Ahmad Pairin.

Five points of agreement include a concensus to end enmity and not to issue baseless statements, which are feared to provoke the masses.

“We fully support the peace agreement in which Bekri residents will be in brotherhood with Gunung Sugih people,” said Central Lampung Deputy Regent Mustafa, who was present at the meeting, as quoted by kompas.com.

The Lampung Police have intensively questioned five Buyut Udik residents for their alleged involvement in the attack.

“We hope to get adequate information in connection with the incident,” National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Rafli Amar said in Jakarta on Friday.

Due to the riot, the police were forced to evacuate at least 300 residents to a safer location, not far from the incident site.