Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Protesters condemn TNI, call for withdrawal of troops from disputed area

Detik.com - April 26, 2011
Muchus Budi R., Solo – Scores of protesters from the group People's Solidarity Against Violence (Sorak) have condemned the violence that took place during a clash between the Indonesian military (TNI) and Urutsewu farmers in Kebumen regency, Central Java. Sorak is calling on the TNI to return the land owned by the farmers and for the withdrawal of troops from the disputed area.

Sorak held the action at the Gladag traffic circle in the Solo city of Central Java on Tuesday afternoon, April 26. During the action, they brought poster condemning the TNI and demanding that the farmers being held by police in relation to the Kebumen affair be released.

The group said that in legal terms, the disputed land belongs to local people as evidenced by valid land certificates. It is quite natural that local people have become angry because the land is being used by the TNI for training. Several facilities have also been built on the land including a three-story building.

Moreover, they said that the training ground is creating a considerable of nervousness because according to Sorak, five children have been killed by exploding mortar rounds.

It is because of this therefore that Sorak objects to the TNI training in the Urutsewu area. Sorak is calling on the TNI to be immediately withdrawn from the disputed area and that the land is returned to their rightful owners. The group is also calling for an end to all forms of intimidation against local people.

On April 16 a clash took place between rogue army personnel and residents of Setro Jenar village in the Bulus Pesantren sub-district of Kebumen. As a result of the clash, 13 people were injured and are being treated in hospital. Of the 13 victims, four suffered gunshot wounds, five suffered stab wounds, and four others were beaten.

In a press release received by Detik.com, TNI Information Center Director Rear Admiral Iskandar Sitompul said that the disputed land being used by the army's research and development office has been managed by the army since the Dutch left Indonesia. Moreover the land has been used as a firing range since 1949. (mbr/fay)

[Translated by James Balowski.]