Man dies in a violent attack

Man dies in a violent attack

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): A sixty-year-old man was killed and five others were severely injured on Tuesday morning during a violent attack by hundreds of residents of Desa Adat Culik traditional village against the residents of Banjar Kebon in Karangasem, some 80 kilometers northeast of here, a report said.

The attackers also burned down at least 30 houses and two motorcycles belonging to Banjar Kebon residents.

The victims were all residents of Banjar Kebon, with the dead man identified as Nengah Migun.

The attack, which occurred at around 7 a.m., occurred so suddenly that the outnumbered residents of Banjar Kebon were not able to defend themselves. Most of them fled to the safety of nearby hills and villages.

The attack was apparently triggered by the recent openly- expressed desire of the residents of Banjar Kebon to secede from Desa Adat Culik and establish a new Desa Adat of their own. Desa Adat is an autonomous territorial-based traditional community group comprising several smaller traditional neighborhood units, known as a Banjar.

Residents of Banjar Kebon and Desa Adat Culik have been involved in a bitter legal feud for years over the ownership of 600 hectares of land. Angered by the rebellious stance of Banjar Kebon's residents, Desa Adat Culik expelled them from the Desa Adat's membership last April.

Security troops were unable to immediately reach the site of the incident because the 1.5-kilometer road that leads to Banjar Kebon was blocked at numerous points with huge trees apparently felled by the attackers prior to the attack. The presence of groups of men armed with sharp weapons at various points along the road also hampered the movement of the troops.

Only after reinforcements from the police's elite Mobile Brigade joined them from Denpasar, did security forces manage to reach the village. -- JP