Sawangan farmers protest

Sawangan farmers protest

JAKARTA (JP): A bus load of farmers and their families from
Sawangan, Bogor, went to the National Commission on Human Rights
headquarters yesterday calling for their intervention to release
four of their fellow farmers now under police detention.

The 36 visitors, including women and children, told the
commission members that their four peers had been detained for
over 30 days after a conflict with a real estate company over a
land dispute came to a head.

They said the four -- identified as Solihin, Asip Jahari, Amat
Aji Muit and Tabrani -- were detained on charges of trespassing.

One of their wives yesterday denied the charge, saying that
the four simply removed the fence erected by PT Cisadane Perdana
which is developing the Sawangan Hill estate on the disputed
area.

"We beg you to help release our colleagues detained by the
Bogor Police," said one of the farmers during the meeting with
commission members Bambang Suharto and Djoko Soegianto.

They said that some 200 families are involved in the dispute
over the 70 hectare area with the Sawangan Hill developer who
claims to own the land by virtue of holding the titles.

But the farmers feel they have a right to the land which they
and their parents and forefathers tilled.

Members of the commission in response agreed to look into the
matter but said that they could not intervene in the legal case
of the four arrests. (emb)