More victims identified in Riau land dispute

More victims identified in Riau land dispute

Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru | Sat, 02/04/2012 1:27 PM


The National Police have identified more victims following a clash between residents and workers of PT. Mazuma Agro Indonesia (MAI) over disputed land in a border area between Riau and North Sumatra on Thursday.

Initial report showed that only five local residents were injured after members of the Mobile Brigade, who secured the property of PT MAI, fired shots at the crowd.

The National Police said on Friday that a total of six residents, two security guards, and four members of Mobile Brigade were injured.

“There have been 12 victims identified in the clash,” National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman said in a press conference on Friday in Jakarta.

Thursday’s clash started when residents protested the presence of heavy machinery belonging to PT. MAI in the disputed area.

The protest met stiff resistance from dozens of PT MAI security guards who were assisted by 10 fully-geared Brimob personnel from the North Sumatra Police headquarters.

The six residents wounded in the clash have been identified as Franky Dolok Pasaribu, 25; Ranto Sirait, 25; Hosmat Sihombing, 30; Joni Sitohang 35; Namu Sihombing, 30, and Johanes Sitorus, 30, all of whom suffered gunshots wounds to their legs and hips.

The two security guards injured in the protest were Bambang and Putra Regar, both of whom sustained machete wounds to their heads and hands in the melee. The four Brimob officers, First Brig. Ishak Lubis, First Brig. Anju, First Brig. Raman, First Brig Depari, were also slashed with machetes and hit with stones.

“The victims are currently being treated at Pasir Pangaraian Hospital, in Rokan Hulu regency,” Saud said.

Separately, the Batang Kumu residents’ lawyyer Nasir Sihotang said that the medical team has succeeded in treating the victims’ wounds.

Police claimed that they used only rubber bullets during the clash.

“They [the rubber bullets] were used to immobilize [the protester], and we were forced to shot because the protester hacked security officers and Brimob officers,” Rokan Hulu’s police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yudi Kurniawan.

Nasir, however, doubted Yudi’s claim, “[From what I saw] the fragments were black and round,” he said.

The projectile’s fragments were taken to Rokan Hulu police headquarter.

Thursday’s clash is thus far the peak of a conflict that has been brewing since 1998.

PT. Mazuma Agro Indonesia (MAI) laid claim to 5,508 hectares of land in Rokan Hulu.

Batang Kumu locals rejected the claim and staged a protest, saying that the company has been operating without license and that its permit was issued by the South Tapanuli administration in the neighboring province of North Sumatra. (rpt)