Medan land conflict continues

Medan land conflict continues

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Disturbances involving hundreds of residents continued in Medan,
North Sumatra, on Friday, with four trailer trucks belonging to a
housing developer being set on fire.

No casualties were reported in the incident, which occurred
just three days ahead of the national legislative elections on
Monday.

The truck drivers escaped uninjured as they fled when the
enraged crowd launched the attack at the upmarket Citra Garden
housing complex on Jl. Jamin Ginting, Antara reported.

The gas tanks of the four burning trucks exploded, panicking
people living near the University of North Sumatra.

The unrest eased after dozens of police reinforcements arrived
in the Jl. Jamin Ginting area and managed to disperse the crowd.

But the angry residents stayed in the vicinity until evening,
causing a major traffic jam.

On Thursday, the residents set ablaze an office building and
destroyed a truck, three tractors and road-paving equipment
belonging to the developer.

The violence began after the developer bulldozed a resident's
home on Thursday. The house was located on land formerly occupied
by the Indonesian Military (TNI)'s 6th Cavalry Attack Battalion.

The owner of the house, Yatimin, said that a group of masked
men had threatened him and his family the night before the
bulldozing of their home, which is located adjacent to a wall
surrounding the plush Citra Garden housing complex.

Yatimin reportedly refused to accept the Rp 30,000 (US$3.50)
per meter for his land that had been offered by the developer.

The developer said that the disturbances had cost it billions
of rupiah.

Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Bagus Kurniawan visited the
scene, saying his officers were questioning at least five
witnesses over the incident.