Police to grill Bogor Police chief over clash
Police to grill Bogor Police chief over clash
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor
The National Police will summon Bogor Police chief Sr. Comr.
Bambang Wasgito for questioning, following the bloody incident at
Jakarta's waste treatment plant in Bojong village, Bogor regency,
on Monday.
The statement was issued by National Police chief Gen. Da'i
Bachtiar on the sidelines of Thursday's hearing with the House of
Representatives' Commission III overseeing security affairs.
Da'i admitted police efforts to stop the violent protest had
gone awry, with six protesters wounded after officers fired live
ammunition into the crowd.
"That is why we will make a thorough investigation of the
incident," Da'i said.
Television news footage clearly showed police, who were
guarding the plant during the incident, opening fire to disperse
the crowd after some of them tried to set the buildings on fire.
Villagers had repeatedly protested the presence of the waste
treatment facility operated by PT Wira Guna Sejahtera, saying the
plant would damage the environment and cause health problems.
Legislator Trimedya Panjaitan said Bambang and Bojong Police
subprecinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Taufik should be held
responsible for the incident.
He quoted residents who said that two weeks prior to the
clash, two trucks packed with officers from the police elite
Mobile Brigade unit were seen patrolling the plant.
"Why did the police deploy the Mobile Brigade there? Has the
company specifically asked for security help from the unit?" he
said.
Police have arrested 37 villagers but already released 18 of
them. Five others are still unaccounted for after they were taken
away by officers.
A crowd of mostly women from Bojong village visited Bojong
Police station on Thursday to meet family members being detained
there.
"I had thought my husband had gone missing. I've just found
out from an NGO (non-governmental organization) that he has been
detained here. I'm afraid he will be beaten up by the officers,"
said Sulastri, the wife of Gunawan, who is in police custody.
During the visit, the women called for police to release the
villagers.
While the residents strongly oppose the dump, Jakarta Governor
Sutiyoso has said support for the project went as high as Vice
President Jusuf Kalla, who wanted the facility to begin
operations as soon as possible.
"The Vice President has instructed us to go ahead with the
plant," he said, without explaining Kalla's reasons for his
support.
His statement, however, was at odds with the view of State
Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar, who told the
House's Commission VII overseeing energy, mineral resources and
the environment that the plant violated Bogor city's planning
laws.
"(Bogor) Bylaw No. 27/1998 stipulates the waste processing
plant should be located in Nambo village. Why did the local
administration issue the permit to construct the facility in
Bojong village instead?" he said.
The bylaw also states Bojong is designated a residential area.
During the hearing, the commission urged the minister's office
to intervene the case.
"Since there is a violation in the construction of the plant,
the minister's office must get involved," chairman Agusman
Effendy said.
He also urged the Bogor administration to temporarily close
the plant until the dispute was solved.