Residents tortured

Residents tortured

From Republika

The robbery that befell American tourist Linda Harter in May
1993 at Ujung Kulon conservation park was still fresh in our
minds when another tragedy struck. Two officers from the Nature
Conservation Park have allegedly beaten up two villagers of
Ujungjaya, Sumur district in Pandeglang, West Java.

The two villagers, like hundreds of other villagers, were
collecting seaweed near the Karang Ranjang security post when the
officers beat them up without questioning them. One of the
officers fetched a machete and inflicted injuries on one of the
villagers. The incident occurred on Sunday Jan. 8, 1995 at about
noon.

The villagers are ignorant about regulations prohibiting the
harvest of seaweed, especially since there is a huge seaweed
processing center nearby. There is very likely collusion between
local administrators and the Nature Conservation Park
officers in operating the center and anyone harvesting seaweed
around the center is considered a trespasser.

The management of the conservation park has apparently ignored
the villagers means of living.

It is high time the government looked into the attitude of
their personnel responsible for environment protection, for abuse
of power would further environmental damage.

Name and address

withheld