Bojong locals protest at police HQ

JAKARTA: Over 1,000 environmentalists and residents from Bojong, Bogor regency, staged a protest on Monday at National Police Headquarters, South Jakarta.

The protectors demanded the police to withdraw mobile brigade forces from their area and dismiss Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. HM Taufik for his failure to protect the people. They also accused the police of protecting PT Wira Guna Sejahtera, a private company appointed by the Jakarta Administration to manage the Bojong waste treatment facility.

Coordinator of the National Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Usman Hamid said police had intimidated residents who held a rally against the waste facility on March 3, by shooting their guns into the air and into the ground at the demonstrators' feet.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Baasyir promised to check out their reports, but did not elaborate. -- JP