11 injured as police fire on protesters: Reports

JAKARTA (JP): Police in the North Sumatra capital of Medan shot into a crowd of about 5,000 students and workers during a protest over a land dispute on Tuesday, wounding at least 11, local hospital sources said.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post by telephone from Medan, nurses at Nur Shadah Hospital and Elizabeth Hospital said that most of the injured suffered gunshot wounds.

They said they were told more were injured but others were hastily treated at home.

Nurse Risanti of the police-owned Polda Sumut Hospital revealed that "a number" of members of the elite mobile brigade police were also injured in the clash.

"We've been ordered to send a doctor and three nurses to treat the wounded officers at police headquarters," she told the Post.

Reports said the mobile brigade police opened fire when the protesters converged outside the headquarters of state-run plantation company PTP Nusantara II in Tanjung Morawa, about 30 kilometers south of Medan, to voice grievances over the land dispute.

Protesters earlier gathered outside the North Sumatra governor's office to protest what they claimed was illegal appropriation of their land by the state sugar cane and tobacco plantation company.

"We cannot reclaim our land through a peaceful way. We have to use violence ...," one of the protesters was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Protesters headed to Tanjung Morawa in the afternoon, vowing they would retake the land by force.

The private SCTV television station in its evening news broadcast showed the crowd fleeing as shots rang out, with police chasing and rounding up stragglers, some of whom were injured.

The TV report said the police were pelted with rocks by the protesters, which prompted officers to open fire.

"We gave emergency first aid to the 11 victims shortly after the incident," said nurse Asnia of Nur Shadah, located about three kilometers from the scene.

Due to the shortage of facilities at the hospital, all of the victims were transferred to Elizabeth Hospital, she added.

"I don't know which ones are students and which ones are workers, but most of them suffered gunshot wounds," Asnia said.

A nurse, who asked not to be named, confirmed the arrival of the 11 victims transferred from Nur Shadah, but added her hospital also received several others victims, including ones with gunshot injuries.

"We're currently treating all of them. Those with gunshot wounds have been hastily rushed into surgery." She could not give a precise count but said "there's more than 11".

North Sumatra Police could not be reached for comment. (01/bsr)