Antara News, Friday, April 23, 2010 20:43 WIB
Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Indian community leader in Batam Devarajan Prakash has offered an apology to the Indonesian people for the insult made by an Indian employee of PT Drydock World Graha that had led to rioting on Thursday.
"On behalf of all Indians, I offer an apology to all Indonesians," he said in tears after attending a meeting of regional leadership to discuss the incident here on Friday.
He said he formally conveyed the apology in a letter to the mayor of Batam. He said he would also make the apology in several newspapers.
He said many Indians have lived in Indonesia for a very long time as well as in other cities across the world but they have never had problems. "This is the first time," he said.
Devarajan who has lived in Batam for 18 years said as newcomers from India must introspect and socialize with the local community so that no incident like Thursday`s would recur.
He said he would gather Indian people living in Batam to discuss the problem to prevent it from spreading.
PT Drydock World Graha`s chief executive officer Denis Welch also offered an apology to the people of Indonesia. "We all deplore the incident. It is not good for Batam," he said.
He said Drydock World intended to make long-term investment in Batam and therefor it needed a conducive atmosphere.
Batam Deputy Mayor Ria Saptarika meanwhile said that the Indian employee who had sparked the incident who was known by his initial as G had been fired.
Indonesian dock workers set fire to three buildings and torched or vandalized more than 20 vehicles on Thursday after an argument with Indian manager, police said. (Reuters Photo)
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