JAKARTA - A spectator who survived the tragedy of the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Dimas Bayu certainly will not be able to forget what he experienced on October 1, 2022 or after the end of the match between Arema FC Malang vs Persebaya Surabaya.
When the atmosphere on the ground was not conducive, the security forces fired tear gas. Not only to the spectators who took to the field, but also to the stands to make them run for safety.
Dimas, which is at Gate 13 Kanjuruhan Stadium, also ran to find the exit.
Many people are confused and panicked. Not to mention the pain and shortness of breath due to gas smoke. It was very chaotic at that time, said Dimas after a prayer together at Gate 13 Kanjuruhan Stadium on October 4, 2022.
"My position is already short of breathing and being able to breathe and surrender, while the people behind being told to step back are no longer possible," he added as quoted by Kompas.com.
The audience jostled from the stands until they left the stadium. Only following the current because the space for movement was very limited. He managed to survive because the fence was on the side before the exit collapsed.
My friend's jacket, I hold on to the door here. So let's go out together. One time he fell, woke up again until he could come out," said the young man who works as a private employee.
Another spectator who was at Gate 14, Chandra Dirawan also admitted that the atmosphere at that time was very chaotic. The place was already full of smoke from tear gas.
"A small child cried, a woman fainted, screams everywhere, all flocked out, but door 13 was closed, door 14 opened, only one door," Chandra said as quoted by BBC News Indonesia.
"In the bathroom near door 13, I saw two men lying down, maybe lack of oxygen, jostling and also tear gas. I saw mothers carrying their toddlers screaming. Water came out of the nose and eyes, very sad," continued Chandra.
Watching the already very tense condition, Chandra decided to jump into the field, then run towards the open field door.
However, the police argue that tear gas is not the main cause of death in the tragedy of the Kanjuruhan Stadium.
According to the Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, Inspector General Dedi Prasetio, there were three types of tear gas used during the tragedy of the Kanjuruhan Stadium: white smoke or smoke tear gas, medium-sized tear gas used to unravel clusters of small amounts, and red tube tear gas to break up the masses in large enough quantities.
When looking at the content of the three types, there is no poison in the tear gas that can cause a person to die. It can cause the eye to experience irritation as when exposed to soap. However, it only occurs for a few moments and does not cause fatal damage.
This refers to the statements of a number of experts, including Made Agus Gelgel, a professor at Udayana University as well as an expert in the field of oxyology.
"He said that the tear gas on a high scale was not deadly. Once again, I am not an expert, I can only quote the expert's statements," said Dedi to reporters on October 10, 2022.
The head of the Joint Independent Fact Finding Team (TGIPF) of the tragedy of the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Mahfud MD, has also asked the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to examine the toxic content in tear gas.
However, whatever the result, Mahfud emphasized that he would not change TGIPF's conclusion that the cause of death in the tragedy of the Kanjuruhan Stadium was tear gas.
Because, if you look at the recording of 32 CCTVs owned by the authorities, it happened very extraordinary.
"It's more terrible than just a death spray. There are those who join each other to get out together, one can get out, one is left behind, the one behind is alone, his friend is trampled to death," Mahfud said at a press conference, Friday (14/10).
There were also victims who died from tear gas while giving breathing assistance to their friends.
"The fact that we found was that the process of the victim's fall was much more terrible than what was circulating on television or on social media because we reconstructed it from 32 CCTV owned by the authorities," said Mahfud.
As a result of TGIPF's conclusion, 712 people were victims of tragic incidents at the Kanjuruhan Stadium, 132 died, 96 suffered serious injuries, and 484 people were moderate or minor injured.
In addition, TGIPF also asked PSSI to immediately hold an Extraordinary Congress (KLB) to save the image of national football. At least, to seek the leadership and management of PSSI with integrity, professionalism, responsibility, and freedom from conflicts of interest.
"Although the government normatively cannot intervene in the PSSI organization, in a country that has a moral and ethical and cultural basis for justice, it is fitting for the PSSI General Chairperson and all ranks of the Executive Committee to resign as a form of moral responsibility for the death of 712 people," said Mahfud.
So far, TGIPF has concluded that competition permits will not be granted until there is a change and readiness from PSSI in managing and running competitions.
Liga 1, Liga 2, and Liga 3 have not been able to run until an undetermined time limit. Meanwhile, football matches outside the league, may continue, of course, by prioritizing aspects of public order and coordinating with security forces," Mahfud emphasized.
Previously, President Jokowi did not deny that Indonesia's football management had to be improved as a whole.
"I think we really need to evaluate everything, both match management, stadium management, audience management, time management, security management. Everything must be evaluated completely so that the incident that occurred at the Kanjuruhan Stadium does not happen again," he said.
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