Komnas HAM probes shooting tragedy<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has launched
\nan investigation into an incident in which police shot and killed
\nup to five protesters in Bulukumba regency, South Sulawesi, on
\nJuly 21.<\/p>\n
Police put the death toll at two but non-governmental
\norganizations put the figure at five.<\/p>\n
Dozens of others were injured after police fired on more than
\n1,000 villagers who were rioting in protest against the alleged
\noccupation of their land by rubber plantation company PT London
\nSumatra (Lonsum).<\/p>\n
The unrest flared up at Bonto Mangiring village in Bulukumba,
\nsome 210 kilometers from the provincial capital of Makassar.<\/p>\n
A Komnas HAM team headed by Hasballah M. Saad left Makassar
\nfor Bulukumba on Thursday morning to gather first-hand
\ninformation from the scene.<\/p>\n
\"Our purpose here is to collect and cross check data on the
\ncase. We will work optimally,\" said M.M. Billah, a member of the
\nteam.<\/p>\n
He did not say whether there was any possibility of serious
\nhuman rights abuses in the incident.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Hasballah, Billah and the third team member,
\nYuwaldi, held separate meetings with South Sulawesi Governor Amin
\nSyam and South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Jusuf
\nManggabarani as part of the investigation.<\/p>\n
During the meetings, dozens of students staged a protest in
\nMakassar to urge Komnas HAM to solve the case.<\/p>\n
Billah said his team had received reports that contained
\ncontradicting data on the death toll.<\/p>\n
The report from police claimed only two persons were killed at
\nthe scene.<\/p>\n
However, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) and
\nthe Institute of Development and Human Resources Studies
\n(Lakpesdam), affiliated to Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said the death
\ntoll had risen to five.<\/p>\n
Three of the victims were identified as Rajo, who bled to
\ndeath, Sangkala who was killed at the scene, and Sampe who died
\nafter surviving for several days in a jungle nearby, said
\nLakpesdam and Walhi, which had both investigated the violence at
\nthe scene.<\/p>\n
Jusuf said police were holding at least 26 people at the
\nBulukumba police office. The detainees included two non-
\ngovernmental organization activists -- Andi
\nMappasomba and Andi Adi Mappasulle -- who were charged with
\ninciting the riot.<\/p>\n
Police are still searching for several activists and villagers
\nwho fled after the violence, Jusuf added.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the incident, he defended his men who opened
\nfire on the rioters as they had refused to end the violent
\nprotest, even though warning shots had been fired to disperse
\nthem.<\/p>\n
The unrest started when people from Bonto Mangiring and
\nneighboring villages rampaged through a plantation belonging to
\nPT London Sumatra, cutting down rubber trees and attacking a
\nhousing complex.<\/p>\n
The villagers, carrying saws, also occupied a company office.<\/p>\n
The protesters accused the company of occupying their
\ntraditional land in Bonto Mangiring in 1967, which led to the
\neviction of many villagers there.<\/p>",
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