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Police urged to investigate Gowa council building attack
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Charred – Firefighters extinguish the remaining flames in the gutted plenary meeting hall at the Gowa Legislative Council in South Sulawesi on Sept.26. (JP/Andi Hajramurni)
T
he Gowa administration and members of the Gowa kingdom have called on the South Sulawesi Police to investigate an attack on the Gowa Legislative Council building in Gowa, South Sulawesi.
Gowa Regent Adnan Purichta Ichsan Yasin Limpo said local consultative forum (Muspida) members decided in a meeting on Monday evening they would let the police handle the case.
“We have fully entrusted the handling of the case to the South Sulawesi Police and the Gowa Police, and hope they can investigate the incident thoroughly,” the regent said.
The incident began when hundreds of people comprising Gowa royal family members and members of the public concerned with Gowa customs and traditions held a rally in front of the council building at 1 p.m. local time on Monday.
They demanded the Gowa Legislative Council revoke Bylaw (Perda) No.5/2016, which mandates the establishment of a Gowa customs and traditions institute (LAD). Under the bylaw, Adnan was inaugurated as the LAD head and plays the role of and undertakes the functions of the sombaya (king) of Gowa, which has always inherited the throne through bloodline.
With no response from council members, the rally turned violent, with protesters reportedly setting the building alight.
“If you want to call for the revocation of the bylaw, just go ahead but please use proper mechanisms. Don’t take an anarchic, brutal action,” said Adnan.
Gowa customs and tradition community head Andi Maddusila Andi Idjo, who was recently inaugurated as the 37th Gowa king, condemned the council building burning. He denied accusations that the attack was perpetrated by community members. (ebf)
