Indonesia to investigate Malang football disaster
The Indonesian government says it will establish an independent fact-finding team to investigate the stampede at a football stadium that left 125 people dead.
President Joko Widodo on Sunday ordered an investigation into the tragedy, a safety review of all football matches, and “security” improvements.
“I deeply regret this tragedy and I hope this football tragedy will be the last in our country,” Widodo said.
Mahfud MD, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs said the investigation would aim to work out what happened and identify the perpetrators.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the football world was “in a state of shock” over what had happened.
The sport’s world governing body, which prohibits the use of tear gas in stadiums, has asked Indonesian authorities for a report on the tragedy.
“No one should lose their lives at a football match,” Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said in a statement.
“We call on authorities to conduct a swift, thorough and independent investigation into the use of tear gas at the stadium and ensure that those who are found to have committed violations are tried in open court and do not merely receive internal or administrative sanctions.”
The tragedy happened in Malang, following a league game between arch rivals Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya FC.
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The disaster began after Arema was beaten, the first time they had lost on home turf in 23 years.
As fans rushed onto the pitch, police fired tear gas, prompting panicked supporters to rush for the exit gates.
Some people suffocated in the chaos, while others were trampled to death.
Two police officers were among those who died at the stadium, as well as at least 17 children in one of the worst disasters at a football stadium anywhere in the world.
The match was a sell-out with at least 42,000 people in the stadium, even though Persebaya Surabaya fans were banned from the game because of the intense rivalry between the two teams in the east of densely-populated Java island.
Witnesses said the trouble started after Arema lost and fans started to go down to the pitch.
“Everyone was panicking, it was chaos,” said Nanda Rizki, who went to the match with his brother and said there were many children in the crowd.
Football is hugely popular in Indonesia, but IT has long been marred by violence and hooliganism.
Data from Indonesia’s soccer watchdog, Save Our Soccer, shows that 78 people have died in game-related incidents over the past 28 years.
Zainab Sa’id
