Indonesian President Joko Widodo has ordered the temporary suspension of local soccer matches and urged a safety review in the aftermath of a deadly stampede in East Java province on Oct. 1.
Widodo called on the youth and sports minister, the local soccer association chief, and the national police chief to “thoroughly investigate” how the matches were carried out and the safety measures involved.
East Java police chief Nico Afinta said that Arema supporters invaded the field and attacked players and team officials. Police then used tear gas to disperse crowds, triggering panic and a stampede as many tried to exit the stadium.
Police said that at least 125 people were killed and more than 180 others were injured. Many of the victims were trampled and suffocated to death.
“At first, they were informed of 129 dead victims. However, the latest data based on checking and verification with the Health Office is 125 because there were names [which] were recorded twice,” police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said.
No Warning Before Tear Gas
An Arema supporter named Joko, who was present at the scene, said that people scrambled for an exit after police fired tear gas in the stadium. Joko decided to return to the stadium to help his friend who had fainted.“I saw corpses around the stairs, the atmosphere inside [the stadium] was chaotic,” he told local media. “The smoke was like fog, it hurts the eyes, we can’t even breathe, all because of the tear gas fired by the police.”
Police said that they used tear gas to prevent angry supporters from attacking players and police officers, even though the International Football Federation (FIFA) has banned using “firearms or crowd control gas” in stadiums.
Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, called for an “independent investigation” into the use of tear gas at the stadium and demanded that those who violated the rules be tried in open court.
“Tear gas should only be used to disperse crowds when widespread violence has occurred and when other methods have failed. People must be warned that tear gas will be used and allowed to disperse,” he added.