Medan land conflict continues<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Disturbances involving hundreds of residents continued in Medan,
\nNorth Sumatra, on Friday, with four trailer trucks belonging to a
\nhousing developer being set on fire.<\/p>\n
No casualties were reported in the incident, which occurred
\njust three days ahead of the national legislative elections on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
The truck drivers escaped uninjured as they fled when the
\nenraged crowd launched the attack at the upmarket Citra Garden
\nhousing complex on Jl. Jamin Ginting, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
The gas tanks of the four burning trucks exploded, panicking
\npeople living near the University of North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
The unrest eased after dozens of police reinforcements arrived
\nin the Jl. Jamin Ginting area and managed to disperse the crowd.<\/p>\n
But the angry residents stayed in the vicinity until evening,
\ncausing a major traffic jam.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the residents set ablaze an office building and
\ndestroyed a truck, three tractors and road-paving equipment
\nbelonging to the developer.<\/p>\n
The violence began after the developer bulldozed a resident's
\nhome on Thursday. The house was located on land formerly occupied
\nby the Indonesian Military (TNI)'s 6th Cavalry Attack Battalion.<\/p>\n
The owner of the house, Yatimin, said that a group of masked
\nmen had threatened him and his family the night before the
\nbulldozing of their home, which is located adjacent to a wall
\nsurrounding the plush Citra Garden housing complex.<\/p>\n
Yatimin reportedly refused to accept the Rp 30,000 (US$3.50)
\nper meter for his land that had been offered by the developer.<\/p>\n
The developer said that the disturbances had cost it billions
\nof rupiah.<\/p>\n
Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Bagus Kurniawan visited the
\nscene, saying his officers were questioning at least five
\nwitnesses over the incident.<\/p>",
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