Angry locals vandalize Bojong dump

Angry locals vandalize Bojong dump

Theresia Sufa and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Bogor/Jakarta

A group of villagers besieged, blockaded and vandalized a new
waste treatment plant on Monday in Klapanunggal village, Bogor
regency, complaining that they were angry that it was located in
their neighborhood.

It was not clear if there were any injuries as a result of the
violent attack, which left a security post, four motorcycles and
the plant's office in ruins.

However, the Bogor Police did not make any arrests, even
though it was the second such incident since March this year.

Hundreds of people from Bojong, Cipeucang, Situsari, Singasari
and Sukamaju villages cut down trees and used boulders to block
the access of garbage trucks to the waste treatment plant.

Armed with molotov cocktails, bamboo spears and machetes, the
protesters inundated the compound. At least two cellular phones
were stolen from the office along with over Rp 1 million in cash
belonging to an employee of the plant operator PT Wira Guna
Sejahtera. They also stole the boots and helmets from the
overwhelmed security guards, before setting their uniforms on
fire.

Opposing the presence of the waste treatment plant, which they
have determined would be a threat to the environment and their
health, their anger boiled over on Monday after the plant started
operating surreptitiously.

The Bogor and Jakarta administrations had been wary of such an
incident, but were caught off guard on Monday.

Apparently, the last straw was when, in the wee hours of
Monday morning, three trucks full of trash entered the plant.

"Those same trucks usually carry sand, not garbage. That's why
we got so mad," Suganda, one of the villagers, explained.

His neighbor Alex added that they had complained to the Bogor
Council, the House of Representatives, the Office of the State
Minister of the Environment and the National Commission on Human
Rights. "But there has been no response so far," he said.

Bogor Police chief, Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito, told the
villagers that they were allowed to protest, but only in an
acceptable manner.

Bambang added that he had ordered his subordinates to
temporarily close down the plant.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso voiced his anger upon hearing of the
incident.

"I urge the police to arrest those people who were involved in
the vandalism. No one is above the law," Sutiyoso asserted.

"I hope the Bogor regency administration can settle the
problem immediately," he concluded.

Jakarta will be the beneficiary of the plant, which is capable
of processing a maximum of 2,000 tons of waste per day, about
one-third of the capital's daily garbage production, at a
processing fee of Rp 53,500 per ton.