Civil unrest rocked parts of Indonesia yesterday as rumours swept the capital that simmering tensions could explode into new violence. Small-scale riots rooted in deepening poverty hit the Sumatran city of Medan, while troops took over the commodities centre of Pinrang a day after thousands went on the rampage there over the local government's handling of a racket involving co-operatives.
Students demanding democratic reform, the ousting of deeply unpopular President Mr B.J. Habibie and the trial of his autocratic predecessor and mentor, Gen Suharto, took to the streets of Jakarta, the second city of Surabaya, and the city of Jambi. In the latter, students damaged a police post and stoned a hotel, believed to house a gambling den, but there were no injuries. There were no reports of violence at the protests involving hundreds of students in central Jakarta and Surabaya.
At least 54 students and one soldier were injured in clashes on Wednesday in the central Java capital, Semarang.
Jakarta was tense on the eve of Friday's Muslim prayer day, with rumours that strife could erupt after the midday prayers. "It is so uncontrollable," said a non-Muslim Javanese. About 30 people have died in civil unrest this month, most of them in the battle-scarred capital.
As students in Jakarta again tried in vain to march on former president Suharto's house, his youngest son pleaded with protesters to leave his ageing father alone and worry about the economy instead.
"Do not just protest and protest," local television quoted Mr Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra as saying. "The most important thing now is our economy - if they are only protesting against Suharto's wealth then what they are struggling for will be in vain," said Mr Mandala Putra, who has been questioned by authorities over allegations of corruption and is barred from leaving the country.
The Australian Defence Minister, Mr John Moore, left for Indonesia yesterday saying he would seek permission for Australian military observers to visit East Timor following recent reports of a civilian massacre.
The US has also expressed concerns about an upsurge of violence in East Timor, citing "credible reports" of civilian deaths during a recent military sweep.