People's group protests arrest<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
The indigenous people's group attending the UN meeting in Bali
\nprotested on Sunday over the arrest of 12 representatives of
\nindigenous people by the Bali police the previous day.<\/p>\n
Den Upa Rombelayuk from the Nusantara Indigenuous People's
\nAlliance said at a media conference here on Sunday that the
\narrested people, now already released, had been intimidated by
\nthe police.<\/p>\n
"We came to Bali to fight for the fate of indigenous people
\nbecause we were invited to come here. Why should we be subjected
\nto such rough treatment from the traditional security guards
\nwhom, in fact, we represent," Den Upa said.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, 12 members of the Indonesian indigenous people's
\ngroup were arrested in Kuta by Bali police for possession of
\noffensive weapons. The Bali police arrested another activist in
\nDenpasar.<\/p>\n
Of the 12, nine were from South and East Kalimantan, one from
\nAceh, and two from Semarang, Central Java.<\/p>\n
After their arrest, they were sent to Denpasar Police
\nHeadquarters for questioning for about two-and-a-half hours
\nbefore being released.<\/p>\n
Kuta Police chief Adj. Comr. M Anwar said earlier that the 12
\npeople were not officially arrested or detained. They were just
\nquestioned for carrying weapons.<\/p>\n
"I must make the point clear that we just brought them in for
\nquestioning," Anwar said.<\/p>\n
Den Upa, however, contended that the invitation directed to
\nthe indigenous people to come to Bali had included a request to
\nbring traditional costumes, which automatically included
\nattributes such as their traditional weapons.<\/p>\n
She said that she was disappointed by the response of the
\npolice who searched their luggage for weapons in a rude and rough
\nmanner.<\/p>\n
Nazarius, another representative of the indigenous group,
\nprotested the deployment of Balinese traditional security guards,
\nknown as pecalang, at the venue of the Indonesian People's Forum
\nin Nusa Dua, where they had intimidated NGO activists.<\/p>\n
He said that he was deeply disappointed that the people who
\npossessed such a dignified and refined culture as the Balinese
\nshould subject people from different cultures to such ignominies.<\/p>\n
"I have a feeling that these people do not represent the real
\nBalinese culture, I know for a fact that traditional cultures
\nhave always been courteous and warm," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/peoples-group-protests-arrest-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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