Police vow to nab Bojong vandals

Police vow to nab Bojong vandals

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post/Bogor

Bogor police will arrest the vandals of Bojong waste treatment
plant four days ago, chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito said on
Friday.

Speaking at a meeting to mediate talks between facility
operator PT Wira Sarana Sejahtera, Bogor administration, and
local residents, Wasgito said on Friday that the police would
investigate and capture the vandals.

The meeting, held at Bogor Police Headquarters, was not
attended by any of the villagers opposing the plant.

Wasgito suspected Yos Triasa of the Communication Forum of
People who Care for the Environment, an organization established
last year by residents of seven villages surrounding the plant,
and Ipang, a Bojong resident, as being involved in the riot.

A security post, four motorcycle's and the plant's office were
left in ruins as a result of Monday's attack. Nobody was reported
injured in the incident.

Residents are opposed to the facility because they fear
environmental damage and health hazards such as what occurred in
Bantar Gebang dump, Bekasi.

Bogor administration and police have said that the plant is a
waste treatment facility and is different from Bantar Gebang
dump, which uses a landfill system that had polluted neighboring
areas and caused respiratory problems and skin diseases.

In a letter from the forum to Bogor police, made available to
The Jakarta Post, it requested that the West Java and Bogor
regency Councils should mediate talks between the parties
involved.

"If the administration or the operator keeps pushing the
operation of the plant, we fear that there will be continuous
resistance from residents," said the forum.

"Please, hear the voices of the locals, who will be directly
affected by the project's policies."