Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) chairman Edy Rahmayadi has vowed that the death of a soccer fan at a match in Bandung, West Java, will be the last in a vicious cycle of violence among certain soccer supporters. 

Edy, who is also the governor of North Sumatra, sent his condolences to the family of the victim, Haringga Sirila, a supporter of Persija Jakarta, who died at the hands of Persib Bandung supporters (known as Bobotoh) on Sunday.

“I send my condolences to the victim from the side of Jakmania. May he rest in peace,” said Edy, referring to the name Persija Jakarta fans are known as.

In an interview with Kompas TV on Monday, Edy promised that Haringga's death would be the last. He also claimed the PSSI had done a lot to break the cycle of violence surrounding the sports. "In particular, we have summoned representatives of Jakmania and Bobotoh several times. We had even delayed this match twice," he said.

He said Indonesian soccer had shown some positive progress, and he was sure that Indonesians were civilized. "Hopefully, this is the last, let's pray for it," he said on Kompas TV. He promised he would take "tough measures".

A video circulating widely across social media on Sunday and Monday outraged the public because of its brutality. Haringga was beaten to death near the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api stadium in Bandung. He was punched, kicked and some used tools to beat him. Hundreds of bystanders did not come to his aid.

A Persib supporter who requested anonymity confirmed to The Jakarta Post that Persib supporters had intercepted spectators seeking to enter the stadium to check their IDs. Haringga had a Jakarta ID, so he was chased and then beaten to death.

The Bandung Police have arrested 16 people as of Monday afternoon and named eight of them suspects.

NGO Save Our Soccer said in a press release that 11 soccer fans had died during matches in 2017 and four had died in 2018 so far.

Edy has been the chairman of the PSSI since November 2016.

Save Our Soccer recorded 70 deaths in Indonesian soccer since 1995. According to the NGO’s data, 21 of the 70, which included Haringga, had died in mob violence. Another one was shot, six died in stampedes, 11 were beaten with hard objects, 14 were stabbed with bladed weapons, 12 had fallen from vehicles, two had fallen from tribunes, two died of tear gas and one died in a fire cracker explosion. (evi)