Locals clash with security forces over housing dispute<\/p>\n
Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang, West Sumatra<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people in Padang, West Sumatra clashed on Wednesday
\nwith security officers over a housing dispute, causing 20 people
\nto be arrested by the police.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred when over 500 court, police and military
\nofficers insisted on executing the Supreme Court verdict that
\norders the Chaniago family to vacate 15 houses on land owned by
\nthe Sikumbang family on Jl. Khatib Sulaiman in Belanti Berok
\nvillage, Padang.<\/p>\n
The locals burned tires, and displayed banners opposing the
\nexecution of the court order.<\/p>\n
When an excavator approached the troubled houses, local people
\nbegan throwing stones at the security officers, which was
\nfollowed by punching and kicking between the two sides.<\/p>\n
A local suffered head injuries due to the incident.<\/p>\n
As the attack from locals intensified, the police were forced
\nto fire warning shots into the air to stop the locals' fury so
\nthe execution of the court order could proceed.<\/p>\n
In two hours, the 15 disputed houses were eventually
\ndestroyed, but a building belonging to the West Sumatra Office of
\nthe State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium
\nEnterprises, which was located there, was not demolished.<\/p>\n
\"Where is justice for the poor like us...?\" Amran, a local,
\nsaid sadly, while pointing at the government building that was
\nnot destroyed.<\/p>\n
Court officer Edwin said that the government building was not
\ndemolished as the government had paid Rp 400 million (US$44,444)
\nin compensation to the land owners for the construction of the
\nbuilding on their land.<\/p>\n
Padang Police deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Zakhlin Letter said
\nthe police would prosecute the 20 arrested locals that had
\nprovoked the incident.<\/p>\n
\"We'll question them, if they are not guilty we will release
\nthem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The legal dispute over the 15 houses started in 1995 when the
\nSikumbang family filed a lawsuit with the Padang District Court
\nagainst the Chaniago family for building houses on the former's
\nland.<\/p>\n
At that time there were only five houses on the land.<\/p>\n
As the Sikumbang families lost in the district court battle,
\nthey appealed to the Padang High Court, which issued a verdict in
\ntheir favor.<\/p>\n
The Chaniago family then appealed to the Supreme Court, but
\nthe Supreme Court upheld the High Court's verdict and ordered the
\ndemolition of the houses.<\/p>",
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