Two killed, five injured in Riau land disputes
Two killed, five injured in Riau land disputes
Puji Santoso and Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru/Jambi
Two people were killed and at least five others were seriously
injured in two separate clashes in Riau and Jambi during the
weekend, both caused by land disputes.
Amrin Lubis, 38, and Irfan, 40, died after protesting
villagers were attacked on Saturday by security guards at a palm
oil plantation in Rokan Hulu, some 40 kilometers from Pasir
Pengairan city, Riau.
Amrin died on the spot from serious head wounds while Irfan
died on Sunday from loss of blood after being rushed to Rantau
Prapat Hospital in the Labuhan Batu regency.
East Tambusai subdistrict head Syahrudin said more than 2,000
villagers had earlier occupied the PT Surya Duma plantation on
Saturday morning, demanding the company pull out of the area
because it was ancestral land that belonged to locals.
By midday, company representatives had not shown up to
negotiate and most of the villagers had gone home, Syahrudin
said.
However, the few residents who remained were later surprised
and attacked by company security guards armed with machetes and
spears, he said.
The guards attacked the two men along with five others.
The incident did not escalate as police officers were soon
deployed in the area. However, none of the killers had yet been
apprehended, he said.
"We are still investigating the incident," said Adj. Sr. Comr.
Kristianto, the chief of Rokan Hilir regional police.
Kristianto said the situation had returned to normal in the
area after a meeting attended by company management, police
officers and local leaders. A similar protest had been held by
residents a few months ago but that had wound down peacefully, he
said.
Plantation management were not available for comment on
Monday.
Meanwhile, in Jambi, two people were injured when dozens of
residents from two neighboring subdistricts fought a pitched
battle on Sunday.
The clash began after residents of Pauh Agung turned a spot of
land on the border with neighboring Tebo Pandak into a plantation
area, sparking a territorial dispute.
Pauh Agung residents armed with machetes and spears attacked
the Tebo Pandak neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.
Bungo regional police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Edi Purwanto said
that police were still investigating the incident.