Police launch investigation into deadly oil field riots
Jakarta Globe - August 24, 2011
Palu, Central Sulawesi -- Police in Indonesia say they have launched an investigation into the deaths of two demonstrators and wounding of five others, allegedly by police officers during an attack on the Tiaka oil field in Morowali, Central Sulawesi, over the weekend.
"We have to see if the actions taken by our officers were right or wrong," Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana said, adding that the investigation would be conducted by an independent monitoring team.
"If the actions met the National Police's procedures, then the officers will not be sanctioned but if it turns out they violated procedures, we will give strict punishments," Dewa said.
Indonesian police on Tuesday said officers killed two people and wounded five others when they opened fire on protesters who had taken over an oil well. Officers arrested 23 people over the riots on Tiaka island, which began on Saturday and escalated on Monday, Dewa told reporters.
Armed with machetes, sickles and Molotov cocktails, hundreds of people attacked the well belonging to state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina and Medco E&P Tomori. They held two employees, a soldier and two policemen hostage but later released them, Parsana said.
"Police tried to negotiate with the people but they refused to listen," he said, adding that officers opened fire as a "last resort."
The protesters were complaining that the companies had failed to honour promises such as providing electricity and jobs to local residents.
Central Sulawesi has been the scene of sporadic unrest since violence between Muslims and Christians claimed around 1,000 lives in 2000 and 2001. A government brokered peace deal came into force in December 2001.
The attack by villagers on the Tiaka oil field in Central Sulawesi on the weekend has resulted in two deaths, brought production to a halt and prompted the Navy to deploy two ships to the area, officials said.
Laila, a doctor at the nearby Luwuk General Hospital, said two of the protesters had died in the clashes. She said the first casualty, a villager identified as Yurifin, died on Monday, while the second, identified as Marten, died on Tuesday from multiple gunshot wounds.
The attack on the site in Tiaka Island began on Saturday when a group of about 30 protesters arrived to demand that the operator make good on promises to improve the welfare of residents in Kolo Bawah village.
The protesters launched their assault via wooden boats with Molotov cocktails and machetes. Riot police managed to restore order on Sunday, before a resurgence in attacks on Monday.
Twenty three people had been named as suspects in the attack, Dewa said. He added police were also on the trail of several other individuals believed to have stolen a firearm from an officer during the melee. (JG/AP)
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Police promise probe of oil field shooting in Tiaka
Antara News - August 24, 2011
Palu, Central Sulawesi -- Police in Central Sulawesi have vowed to investigate the officers involved in firing on rioters during Monday's attack on oil field facilities on Tiaka Island.
Comr. R. Bambang Surjadi, the provincial police's head of internal affairs, said on Wednesday that an independent team would be set up to look into whether the police's actions, which left two people dead and several injured, were warranted.
"We'll look at whether they breached protocol in firing into the crowd," he said. "If we find they abided by procedure, then there's nothing we can do in terms of punishing them. If, however, we find they breached procedure, then there will be sanctions handed down."
The attack on the oil field facilities in Tiaka, jointly operated by state-owned oil company Pertamina and Medco E&P Tomori, began on Saturday. A group of about 30 protesters arrived to demand that the operators make good on promises to improve the welfare of residents in Kolo Bawah village.
The protesters launched their assault from wooden boats, wielding Molotov cocktails and machetes. Riot police managed to restore order on Sunday, before more attacks on Monday.
Twenty-three people have been arrested and named suspects in the attack, while several are still being sought for stealing a firearm from a police officer. Two protesters were shot and killed, while six suffered gunshot wounds.
Human rights activists have demanded a thorough investigation into the police's response to the attack, which they decried as a brutal human rights violation.
Riza Damanik, secretary general of the Fisheries Justice Coalition (Kiara), urged the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to send a team to the area to investigate.
He blamed the violence on the failure of the oil operators to fulfill promises made to the villagers. Riza also accused the police of siding with the companies rather than the villagers, who he said were the aggrieved party in this case.
Marten, one of the protesters who was killed, was buried in his village on Wednesday. The funeral was attended by Anwar Hafid, the head of Morowali district, where Tiaka is located, and officials from Pertamina and Medco.
The body of the other protester killed in the clashes, Yurifin, was taken by his family for burial in Gorontalo province, on the northeastern tip of Sulawesi.
Police said they had transferred the 23 people arrested to the provincial police headquarters in Palu, the Central Sulawesi capital, in a bid to prevent further unrest.
Separately, a police source in Palu said the Morowali Police had ordered the evacuation of the families of around 40 officers, for fear of reprisals.
"They also withdrew some nonessential officers from Morowali in anticipation of a violent backlash," said the source, who declined to be identified. The police station whose jurisdiction includes Kolo Bawah village has been left empty, the source said.
Police have also evacuated all residents from Tiaka, most of whom are oil field workers and their families. Fears of more violence have been amplified by reports that the attackers who stole a police officer's handgun are still hiding out in the area.
Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana, the Central Sulawesi Police chief, issued a plea on Wednesday for the fugitives to turn themselves in and return the stolen firearm, "to restore an atmosphere conducive to security."
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Claims of broken promises sparked Sulawesi oil row
Jakarta Globe - August 23, 2011
An attack by villagers on the Tiaka oil field in Central Sulawesi on the weekend has resulted in two deaths, brought production to a halt and prompted the Navy to deploy two ships to the area, officials said on Tuesday.
The attack on the site in Tiaka Island began on Saturday when a group of about 30 protesters arrived to demand that the operator make good on promises to improve the welfare of residents in Kolo Bawah village.
The protesters launched their assault via wooden boats with Molotov cocktails and machetes. Riot police managed to restore order on Sunday, before a resurgence in attacks on Monday. Col. Budi Utomo, the local naval commander, said the Navy would set up a presence there to secure the drilling station. "Two navy ships will patrol the area," he said.
Laila, a doctor at the nearby Luwuk General Hospital, said two of the protesters had died in the clashes. She said the first casualty, a villager identified as Yurifin, died on Monday, while the second, identified as Marten, died on Tuesday from multiple gunshot wounds.
She said police had refused to let family claim the bodies until they had carried out an autopsy.
The hospital is currently treating another six protesters, all of whom were admitted for gunshot wounds. Police have deployed tight security around the hospital.
Separately, Gde Pradnyana, a spokesman for upstream oil and gas regulator BPMigas, said the operators of the oil field had halted production on Monday after protesters attacked and destroyed facilities at the site, which is jointly run by state-owned oil company Pertamina and Medco E&P Tomori.
He said armed police and soldiers were now guarding the six wells, which produce 1,600 barrels of oil a day, while ground staff and crew were being evacuated.
Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana, the provincial police chief, said 23 people had been named as suspects in the attack. He added police were also on the trail of several other individuals believed to have stolen a firearm from an officer during the melee.
"During the incident, the perpetrators attacked one of our men, stole his revolver and fled the scene with it," he said. He declined to comment on who the possible masterminds of the attack were, saying only that police were now questioning the 23 suspects from Kolo Bawah.
Dewa said initial indications were that the protest turned violent after the villagers failed to secure a meeting with the oil field head to complain about the operator's failure to make good on welfare promises.
"They claimed that the operator had promised to connect their village to the electricity grid and bring in other utilities, but had failed to do so," he said.
"When they came to the oil field to air their grievances, the boss wasn't around to meet them and so they ran amok." He added that police had attempted to mediate in the dispute to prevent it turning violent, but to no avail.
Asgar Ali Djuhaepa, a councilor with the provincial legislature's finance oversight commission, deplored the incident. He called it a severe setback to efforts to promote Central Sulawesi as an investor-friendly zone.
"The violence in Tiaka has ruined the province's reputation. Now we're synonymous with conflict," he said. "I fear this will have a huge impact on future investment here."
Asgar called on the provincial and central governments to shore up security for strategic assets likely to be targeted by local communities. He also urged the Tiaka operators to make good on their promises to the villagers.
Dedy Askari, the head of the provincial human rights commission, decried what he called the police's "iron-fisted" response to the protesters, saying it was regrettable that two people died.
"It must be kept in mind that these are all Indonesian citizens claiming what is owed to them by the company," he said. "The authorities shouldn't automatically side with the company. Don't ignore local welfare for the sake of safeguarding investors." (Antara, Reuters, DPA)
***
Jakarta Globe - August 24, 2011
Palu, Central Sulawesi -- Police in Indonesia say they have launched an investigation into the deaths of two demonstrators and wounding of five others, allegedly by police officers during an attack on the Tiaka oil field in Morowali, Central Sulawesi, over the weekend.
"We have to see if the actions taken by our officers were right or wrong," Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana said, adding that the investigation would be conducted by an independent monitoring team.
"If the actions met the National Police's procedures, then the officers will not be sanctioned but if it turns out they violated procedures, we will give strict punishments," Dewa said.
Indonesian police on Tuesday said officers killed two people and wounded five others when they opened fire on protesters who had taken over an oil well. Officers arrested 23 people over the riots on Tiaka island, which began on Saturday and escalated on Monday, Dewa told reporters.
Armed with machetes, sickles and Molotov cocktails, hundreds of people attacked the well belonging to state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina and Medco E&P Tomori. They held two employees, a soldier and two policemen hostage but later released them, Parsana said.
"Police tried to negotiate with the people but they refused to listen," he said, adding that officers opened fire as a "last resort."
The protesters were complaining that the companies had failed to honour promises such as providing electricity and jobs to local residents.
Central Sulawesi has been the scene of sporadic unrest since violence between Muslims and Christians claimed around 1,000 lives in 2000 and 2001. A government brokered peace deal came into force in December 2001.
The attack by villagers on the Tiaka oil field in Central Sulawesi on the weekend has resulted in two deaths, brought production to a halt and prompted the Navy to deploy two ships to the area, officials said.
Laila, a doctor at the nearby Luwuk General Hospital, said two of the protesters had died in the clashes. She said the first casualty, a villager identified as Yurifin, died on Monday, while the second, identified as Marten, died on Tuesday from multiple gunshot wounds.
The attack on the site in Tiaka Island began on Saturday when a group of about 30 protesters arrived to demand that the operator make good on promises to improve the welfare of residents in Kolo Bawah village.
The protesters launched their assault via wooden boats with Molotov cocktails and machetes. Riot police managed to restore order on Sunday, before a resurgence in attacks on Monday.
Twenty three people had been named as suspects in the attack, Dewa said. He added police were also on the trail of several other individuals believed to have stolen a firearm from an officer during the melee. (JG/AP)
***
Police promise probe of oil field shooting in Tiaka
Antara News - August 24, 2011
Palu, Central Sulawesi -- Police in Central Sulawesi have vowed to investigate the officers involved in firing on rioters during Monday's attack on oil field facilities on Tiaka Island.
Comr. R. Bambang Surjadi, the provincial police's head of internal affairs, said on Wednesday that an independent team would be set up to look into whether the police's actions, which left two people dead and several injured, were warranted.
"We'll look at whether they breached protocol in firing into the crowd," he said. "If we find they abided by procedure, then there's nothing we can do in terms of punishing them. If, however, we find they breached procedure, then there will be sanctions handed down."
The attack on the oil field facilities in Tiaka, jointly operated by state-owned oil company Pertamina and Medco E&P Tomori, began on Saturday. A group of about 30 protesters arrived to demand that the operators make good on promises to improve the welfare of residents in Kolo Bawah village.
The protesters launched their assault from wooden boats, wielding Molotov cocktails and machetes. Riot police managed to restore order on Sunday, before more attacks on Monday.
Twenty-three people have been arrested and named suspects in the attack, while several are still being sought for stealing a firearm from a police officer. Two protesters were shot and killed, while six suffered gunshot wounds.
Human rights activists have demanded a thorough investigation into the police's response to the attack, which they decried as a brutal human rights violation.
Riza Damanik, secretary general of the Fisheries Justice Coalition (Kiara), urged the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to send a team to the area to investigate.
He blamed the violence on the failure of the oil operators to fulfill promises made to the villagers. Riza also accused the police of siding with the companies rather than the villagers, who he said were the aggrieved party in this case.
Marten, one of the protesters who was killed, was buried in his village on Wednesday. The funeral was attended by Anwar Hafid, the head of Morowali district, where Tiaka is located, and officials from Pertamina and Medco.
The body of the other protester killed in the clashes, Yurifin, was taken by his family for burial in Gorontalo province, on the northeastern tip of Sulawesi.
Police said they had transferred the 23 people arrested to the provincial police headquarters in Palu, the Central Sulawesi capital, in a bid to prevent further unrest.
Separately, a police source in Palu said the Morowali Police had ordered the evacuation of the families of around 40 officers, for fear of reprisals.
"They also withdrew some nonessential officers from Morowali in anticipation of a violent backlash," said the source, who declined to be identified. The police station whose jurisdiction includes Kolo Bawah village has been left empty, the source said.
Police have also evacuated all residents from Tiaka, most of whom are oil field workers and their families. Fears of more violence have been amplified by reports that the attackers who stole a police officer's handgun are still hiding out in the area.
Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana, the Central Sulawesi Police chief, issued a plea on Wednesday for the fugitives to turn themselves in and return the stolen firearm, "to restore an atmosphere conducive to security."
***
Claims of broken promises sparked Sulawesi oil row
Jakarta Globe - August 23, 2011
An attack by villagers on the Tiaka oil field in Central Sulawesi on the weekend has resulted in two deaths, brought production to a halt and prompted the Navy to deploy two ships to the area, officials said on Tuesday.
The attack on the site in Tiaka Island began on Saturday when a group of about 30 protesters arrived to demand that the operator make good on promises to improve the welfare of residents in Kolo Bawah village.
The protesters launched their assault via wooden boats with Molotov cocktails and machetes. Riot police managed to restore order on Sunday, before a resurgence in attacks on Monday. Col. Budi Utomo, the local naval commander, said the Navy would set up a presence there to secure the drilling station. "Two navy ships will patrol the area," he said.
Laila, a doctor at the nearby Luwuk General Hospital, said two of the protesters had died in the clashes. She said the first casualty, a villager identified as Yurifin, died on Monday, while the second, identified as Marten, died on Tuesday from multiple gunshot wounds.
She said police had refused to let family claim the bodies until they had carried out an autopsy.
The hospital is currently treating another six protesters, all of whom were admitted for gunshot wounds. Police have deployed tight security around the hospital.
Separately, Gde Pradnyana, a spokesman for upstream oil and gas regulator BPMigas, said the operators of the oil field had halted production on Monday after protesters attacked and destroyed facilities at the site, which is jointly run by state-owned oil company Pertamina and Medco E&P Tomori.
He said armed police and soldiers were now guarding the six wells, which produce 1,600 barrels of oil a day, while ground staff and crew were being evacuated.
Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana, the provincial police chief, said 23 people had been named as suspects in the attack. He added police were also on the trail of several other individuals believed to have stolen a firearm from an officer during the melee.
"During the incident, the perpetrators attacked one of our men, stole his revolver and fled the scene with it," he said. He declined to comment on who the possible masterminds of the attack were, saying only that police were now questioning the 23 suspects from Kolo Bawah.
Dewa said initial indications were that the protest turned violent after the villagers failed to secure a meeting with the oil field head to complain about the operator's failure to make good on welfare promises.
"They claimed that the operator had promised to connect their village to the electricity grid and bring in other utilities, but had failed to do so," he said.
"When they came to the oil field to air their grievances, the boss wasn't around to meet them and so they ran amok." He added that police had attempted to mediate in the dispute to prevent it turning violent, but to no avail.
Asgar Ali Djuhaepa, a councilor with the provincial legislature's finance oversight commission, deplored the incident. He called it a severe setback to efforts to promote Central Sulawesi as an investor-friendly zone.
"The violence in Tiaka has ruined the province's reputation. Now we're synonymous with conflict," he said. "I fear this will have a huge impact on future investment here."
Asgar called on the provincial and central governments to shore up security for strategic assets likely to be targeted by local communities. He also urged the Tiaka operators to make good on their promises to the villagers.
Dedy Askari, the head of the provincial human rights commission, decried what he called the police's "iron-fisted" response to the protesters, saying it was regrettable that two people died.
"It must be kept in mind that these are all Indonesian citizens claiming what is owed to them by the company," he said. "The authorities shouldn't automatically side with the company. Don't ignore local welfare for the sake of safeguarding investors." (Antara, Reuters, DPA)
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