Palu residents attack pig farms

Palu residents attack pig farms

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

Members of a Muslim youth organization on Wednesday attacked
several pig farms in South Tatura they said were polluting the
area as the police looked on.

About 20 pigs were slaughtered in the attack and farmers
estimated total losses at Rp 75 million (US$7,978). No one was
injured.

The youths, mostly local villagers carrying spears, machetes
and wooden sticks, began arriving at the breeding farms on
Wednesday morning.

They attacked several sheds -- mostly belonging to Christians
-- accusing the farmers of polluting the Palu River.

They were not arrested on leaving the scene despite the
presence of police.

Muslim residents resented the presence of the farms and had
filed their objections with the Palu municipal government, which
recently ordered the farmers to relocate away from residential
areas.

Farmers had ignored the order, sparking anger among Palu
residents, who later took the law into their own hands.

Yorim, a pig breeder, said the attack was a brutal and cruel
act of violence perpetrated by irresponsible people. The breeders
would notify the city administration and the council, he said.

Yorim estimated the attack cost the pig breeders about Rp 75
million, which included the costs of the slaughtered pigs, which
were worth between Rp 600,000 and Rp 800,000 each, he said.

South Tatura Muslim youth organization leader Abdul Haris
defended the vandalism. The pig farms had polluted the area and
threatened public order, he said.

"The farms give out a bad odor and this is offensive,
especially during Ramadhan," Haris said.

He said he had warned the breeders several times to relocate
their farms but had been ignored.

"As the pig breeders were so errant, we decided in a meeting
to take decisive action to end the pollution and the stench,"
Haris said.