The images ofIndonesia they are terrible and heartbreaking. What should have been a celebration of sport and football has turned into a nightmare and a horrible tragedy. What Happened at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang After the Super East Java Derby between Arema and Persebaya teamsleft everyone in a state of shock: first the mad invasion of the field by the home fans disgusted with the defeat, and then the violent reaction of the police with smoke bombs, to unleash a true hell.
All looked for an escape route with panic gripping, and many remained on the ground stunned even by the tear gas smoke unconscious and trampled by those who desperately tried to save their lives by climbing the fences. The budget is clear with 174 dead and nearly 200 wounded many of them serious. Unfortunately, that number is constantly updated and destined to grow, with hospitals in dire straits. The news from Indonesia is truly dramatic and also speaks of many very young victims.
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPA), they are 17 children who died in the Kanjuruhan stadium tragedy in Malang. Most of these little fans were between 12 and 17 years old. There are also 7 children who have healed serious injuries, and in these hours they are subjected to all the necessary treatments, even on a psychological level, given the brutality of what happened. How was all this possible? Why did the situation get out of control?
Someone will have to pay, as the alert for this derby so felt was high and therefore it is incredible what happened, despite the facilities not being the best. Muhammad Isnur, President General of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), after expressing his condolences to the victims’ families, revealed: “From the beginning, the committee was concerned about this match and asked the New Indonesia League (LIB) to organize the afternoon game to minimize the risk. However, LIB denied the request and continued holding the game overnight.”
Things seemed to be going well, until Arema fans, outraged by the defeat, invaded the field. At this point, however, here is the short-circuit also linked to the attitude of the police. In the videos that circulate on the web and on social networks, it is possible to see the violence carried out by the agents and, above all, management of tear gas is, to say the least, questionable. The gases were used not only on the field, but also in the stands. In fact, Isnur also explained: “In the video that circulates, we saw that there was violence from the police beating and kicking the fans on the field. As more and more fans entered the field, the referees fired tear gas into the stands, which were still full of spectators.”
The well-founded suspicion is that there was a excessive use of force by the police and inappropriate use of tear gas in the crowd. In fact, the use of tear gas is clearly prohibited by the World Football Federation (FIFA). In fact, the main international body of football in the security regulation states that the use of tear gas and firearms is prohibited precisely to ensure the safety of those inside the facility. Apparently, therefore, the actions of the agents would be contrary to several regulations.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation therefore assesses that the crowd control management violated human rights: “We condemn the repressive actions of the authorities against the treatment of fans, ignoring various regulations, notably the implementation of the Human Rights Principles of the National Police“For this, Isnur urged the head of the national police to carry out an investigation also to understand the tragedy that caused the death of fans and police.
In addition, it will also be necessary to deepen the discourse regarding presences inside the stadium. Apparently, despite the actual capacity of around 38,000 seats, 42,000 tickets would have been sold. A situation that proved fatal to say the least excited post-game, when overcrowding contributed to the tragedy.
Source: Fan Page IT
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
