Riots after North Morowali regency bid fails

The Jakarta Post, Palu Sun, December 16 2012,



Rioters in Kolonodale in Moro-wali, Central Sulawesi, went on a rampage on Saturday after their bid to establish a separate regency failed.

The damage included two cars and a motorcycle owned by the Morowali administration that were set on fire, while a car owned by a member of the Morowali Legislative Council was destroyed.

The riot erupted after the House of Representatives failed to approve a request to carve out a new regency, North Morowali, from Morowali. Demonstrators were disappointed by the lack of support for the proposal from local officials, according to one local resident.

“Morowali Regent Anwar Hafid promised to struggle for the division in December, but it turned out to be an empty promise,” Melky, 27, told The Jakarta Post over the telephone.

According to reports from Antara news agency, an unidentified source with knowledge of the issue in Jakarta said that Anwar did not attend discussions at the House on the creation of North Morowali regency.

The source said that Anwar, who was reelected for a second term in November, told his deputy, Sumisi Marunduh, to attend, even though the regent’s presence had been requested by lawmakers.

“For other regions, such as Banggai Islands — its regent was present, and he was even accompanied by his deputy regent, the local legislative council speaker and noted figures to fight for the establishment of the Banggai Laut regency in Central Sulawesi,” the source said.

Melky said that the situation began to deteriorate in Kolonodale on Friday evening, after a House plenary meeting did not approve the new regency, and continued until Saturday morning.

Angry crowds descended on the homes of the regency officials and local legislators who had vowed to support establishing North Moro-wali regency during Anwar’s reelection campaign.

Melky said that rioters seized two government vehicles and a motorcycle, which were taken to a field in nearby Morokoa and set on fire. “Another car owned by a legislator was pushed into a ravine.”

Ridel Gogali, another resident, said that the rioters were still assembled in several places as of Saturday evening. “The residents said that they will not stop doing anarchic things until North Morowali is declared a new regency.”

Morowali Police operations chief Comr. Sirajuddin Ramly said that the police had the situation under control, although no arrests were made.

“We concentrated only on calming down the angry residents,” Sirajuddin said.

Bungku is the capital of Morowali regency, which was separated from Poso regency in 1999. Its capital was in Kolonodale until 2005, before it was moved to Bungku in line with existing law.

Tasrif Siara, a noted figure in Kolonodale who lives in Palu, said that officials had been insensitive to local aspirations. “Kolonodale residents are still disappointed about the movement of the Morowali capital to Bungku. There must be a solution to curb the disappointment of the residents.”

The House, at its last plenary meeting of the year on Friday, approved the creation of seven new autonomous regencies: Mahakam Ulu, East Kalimantan; Malaka, East Nusa Tenggara; Central Mamuju, West Sulawesi; Banggai Laut, Central Sulawesi; Tailabu Island, North Maluku; Penukal Abab Lematang Ilir, South Sumatra; and East Kolaka Timur, Southeast Sulawesi.