Six arrested over brawl with miners

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Tangerang Police arrested six residents from three villages in Mauk on Tuesday, following a brawl with the workers of an illegal sand dredging operation located in Kampung Simpang.

The six are identified as H. Tabrani, a former chief of Tegal Kunir Lor village; Achmad, a resident in Ketapang village; Helmi, Jubed and Kusyadi, residents of Banyu Asin village; and Hambali, from Kemiri village.

In the brawl on Sunday, two villagers were rushed to hospital with machete wounds.

Tangerang Police chief Sr. Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said the six suspects were taken from their homes at 2 a.m. and were held at the police headquarters for further questioning.

The police charged them with inciting villagers to attack the sand mining workers and destroy facilities at the mining site.

On Sunday, the residents of Tegal Kunir Lor, Banyuasin and Marga Mulya joined in a protest against the sand dredging operation, saying it had disrupted the water irrigation system in the three villages. The villages' main source of income is farming.

The operation is owned by businessman Herman Wijaya.

The villagers' initially peaceful protest turned into a brawl with the mining workers and two villagers were taken to Tangerang General Hospital with wounds to their heads and backs.

Samsudin, 30, a resident of Marga Mulya and Hamdani, 29, of Tegal Kunir Lor, were reportedly attacked with machetes by the mining workers.

Tabrani, who led the protest, said the massive sand dredging operation had changed the ecosystem and disrupted ground water supply since it began in 2000.

He estimated the mining had caused the erosion of more than 300 cubic meters of land in the village and other land was frequently flooded by sea water.

"We have repeatedly filed complaints with the district office (over the dredging). But it's all to no avail because (the office) is paid off by the illegal operation," Tabrani said.

The residents burned the workers' dormitory and destroyed pipelines and machines at the site.

Marga Mulya village secretary Sukwali said the sea had claimed 70 hectares of the 230 hectares of fish ponds in the village.

The police refused comment on accusations government officials were colluding with the illegal sand dredgers.