Dozens of farmers attack Jambi plantation firm

Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, Jambi

Dozens of farmers in Tungkalulu district, West Tanjungjabung regency, Jambi province, ran amok on Wednesday at an oil palm plantation, destroying several security posts, police said.

No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident.

The violence was allegedly sparked when a truck carrying fresh palm clusters was seized by police officers. The cargo was about to be sold by the farmers to another palm oil processing factory outside Tungkalulu.

PT Agrowijaya, a company which operates a palm oil processing plant, enacted a policy to local farmers some time ago that they had to sell their produce only to the firm. The farmers had borrowed money from the company to pay off land.

The farmers became angry and immediately approached PT Agrowijaya's office, carrying various farming tools with them.

They immediately set fire to the security post in the Budiman area. Two security posts in the Purwodadi area and at Kilometer 120 were also destroyed.

On-duty security guards at the three posts escaped the attack as they fled for safety.

Police officers from the West Tanjungjabung and Tungkalulu police offices arrived at the scene and secured the area.

West Tanjungjabung Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Syauqie Achmad, said they arrested a man suspected of provoking the incident.

"We are still holding the suspect, Teguh, 30. He was carrying a container of fuel," Syauqie told The Jakarta Post.

Preemptive measures are still being conducted by police personnel at the location to avoid further rioting.

Syauqie said that up until now, police were still investigating the case based on Teguh's statement, and did not rule out the possibility of arresting other suspects involved in the case.