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.