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