Five illegal tillers shot in Medan clash<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Five laborers of a state-owned plantation in
\nDeli Serdang, North Sumatra, were shot Monday in a clash
\ninvolving possibly illegal tillers and employees of the Nusantara
\nII plantation.<\/p>\n
Two of those who were shot, allegedly with rubber bullets,
\nreported to the Legal Aid Office in Medan. They were Agus Salim,
\n20 and Basirun, 38.<\/p>\n
The others were Abdul Rahim, 25, Udin Sagala, 35, and Sigapo,
\n35, all residents of Batangkuis in Deli Serdang.<\/p>\n
Residents say they have been entitled to till land on some 185
\nhectares around the plantation. Nusantara II employees on Monday
\ncharged they were disrupting planting activities and intended to
\nforce them out, they said, and this resulted in a clash in which
\nsome employees were injured. Security personnel were then called
\nto the site. Warning shots were fired which resulted in the five
\ninjuries, witnesses said.<\/p>\n
Later in the day the top provincial figures met with the
\nplantation union. They were Governor Rizal Nurdin, Police Chief
\nBrig. Gen. Sutiyono, Council speaker HM Iskak, the local military
\ncommand's assistant for territorial affairs Col. Kuswa and
\nprovincial chief prosecutor Tjokorda.<\/p>\n
Union chairman Tambah Karo-karo repeated earlier demands that
\nthe land allotted for tobacco be immediately cleared of tillers.
\nThe union also demanded action against tillers and against
\nvillage heads and district heads who they said issued illegal
\nland rights to tillers.<\/p>\n
Recently employees had staged a demonstration raising similar
\ndemands while near the plantation tillers had been involved in a
\nclash with security personnel that resulted in several injuries.<\/p>\n
After the meeting the union head told The Jakarta Post that
\nthree district heads and five village heads had issued rights to
\nthe land to residents.<\/p>\n
\"One document can cost as much as Rp 300,000,\" Tambah Karo-
\nkaro said.<\/p>\n
He charged one village head had issued 58 documents.<\/p>\n
Governor Rizal told the Post that the documents gave rights to
\nuse neglected land. He added the land use permit of the
\nplantation of 45,200 hectares had been renewed and extended to
\n62,196 hectares. He confirmed there was the possibility that
\nindividuals in the plantation might have been involved in the
\nissuance of the documents which led residents to believe they
\nwere entitled to till the land.<\/p>\n
Rizal said a team will soon be set up to settle problems on
\nthe plantation and expected it would include a representative of
\nthe company. The company was not represented in the Monday
\nmeeting, he said.<\/p>\n
In Poso, Central Sulawesi, Regent Arief Patanga,
\nadministration secretary Ida Yahya Patiro and their families had
\nto be moved from their homes because crowds pelted their
\nresidences on Monday following a gang fight.<\/p>\n
The gang fight which police said started at 2:30 a.m. led to
\n22 injured, but most were released on the same day from the Poso
\nGeneral Hospital. From morning paramedics were told to stand by
\nin case of more injuries.<\/p>\n
\"The fighting started between two groups of youths, all of
\nwhom were drunk,\" Sgt. Yahya of the Poso District Police told The
\nJakarta Post by phone on Monday.<\/p>\n
The incident followed another on Friday when hundreds ran amok
\nafter a teenager was stabbed in the stomach by a drunken man.<\/p>\n
\"The two groups dispersed but met again near a mosque. There,
\nthe fighting continued, with a gang member hit by a dagger,\" the
\nofficer said.<\/p>\n
The police official said the fighting had provoked anger among
\nresidents as rumors spread that the victim was stabbed while he
\nwas performing a nocturnal prayer.<\/p>\n
Other rumors indicated the victim was stabbed after he woke
\nthe people up for the dawn meal before fasting, he added.<\/p>\n
Antara reported the 22 residents rushed to the hospital
\nsustained various injuries for being hit by stones or other hard
\nobjects.<\/p>\n
\"The number of injured residents may be greater as some of the
\nvictims were also rushed to local government and private-run
\nclinics,\" said a nurse, Emma, of the Poso General Hospital.<\/p>\n
However she said only a few of the patients had to be treated
\nat the hospital as most were allowed to return home.<\/p>\n
A police official at the Poso Police precinct told the Post
\nthat rioters were still moving from one place to another.<\/p>\n
Police and Army officers were seen on guard at city street
\ncorners and a number of public facilities. A resident, Mardan
\nKaa'bah, 42, said city remained tense until Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n
He said the city, located some 215 kilometers southeast of the
\nCentral Sulawesi capital of Palu, was paralyzed since 7 a.m. as
\nbusiness centers were closed.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Central Sulawesi police spokesman Maj. Ida
\nKartati as saying that the regent and administration secretary
\nwere safe. He denied reports that both officials had been taken
\nhostage, saying they were only moved to a safe place because
\nthere had also been threats of setting fire to their homes.<\/p>\n
The motive was not clear. (21\/imn)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/five-illegal-tillers-shot-in-medan-clash-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }