Residents accuse police of brutality

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan | Wed, 06/06/2012 8:50 AM

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Victims of alleged police brutality in North Sumatra have demanded that justice be meted out to the
perpetrators.

“I was shocked when I saw blood gushing from a gunshot wound in my left calf. What did I do wrong to be shot? I want the officer who shot me in the leg prosecuted,” Gusmanto, 18, from Pulo Jantan village, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

He said plainclothes policemen shot him during a protest against the arrest of 60 residents following an alleged arson attack on a security post at PT Smart in North Labuhan Batu regency on Sunday.

The local residents went to the local police station to demand the release of their neighbors.

Gusmanto said that a policeman aimed his gun at them and ordered them not to move. For fear of a clash, the protesters reportedly intended to retreat when gunshots were fired.

Gusmanto said he then realized his calf was bleeding.

He threatened to report the case to the House of Representatives, the National Commission on Human Rights and the National Police headquarters. He called on the institutions to “stop brutal acts by the police and avoid further victims.”

The North Sumatra branch of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence’s (Kontras) coordinator, Muhrizal Syahputra, said that from 2011 to June 2012, at least 12 cases of police brutality had been recorded in various regions in the province, mostly related to land disputes between residents and plantation companies.

He accused the police of gross mistreatment including shootings, torture and unlawful detention. He said as many as 100 people had fallen victim to harsh police acts across the province.

“The number of victims of police brutality is very high, but to date, none of the cases has been brought to court. We demand the cases be opened to the public and immediately tried,” said Muhrizal.

When contacted for confirmation, North Sumatra Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Heru Prakoso said the case of the detention of the 60 farmers in North Labuhan Batu was being processed.

Based on preliminary investigation, Heru said 50 of the farmers had been deemed innocent and released while the others were still undergoing questioning.

Heru denied the police had resorted to shooting when handling the conflict between residents and PT Smart security guards, and insisted that the police followed procedure.

In response to the demand that police personnel involved in the violence be immediately brought to justice, Heru said the police never protected wayward officers.

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Forest rangers named suspects in shooting

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 12/03/2010 10:40 AM

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MEDAN, North Sumatra: Police in North Sumatra on Thursday named four forest rangers as suspects in a shooting incident triggered by a land dispute.

Eight farmers received gunshot wounds in the incident, which took place at Meranti village, Torgamba district, Labuhan Batu regency, on Nov. 30.

The suspects were identified only by the initials AS, age 36, a Forestry Ministry employee, and PMS, 34, NIHH, 43, and SB, 41, employees of the North Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center.

Labuhan Batu Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Robert Kennedy said the suspects were believed to be the shooters. He added that the police had seized four Molot rifles from them.

“They are being charged with violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code for committing violence against others and could face a five-year prison sentence if found guilty,” Kennedy told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The incident was an eruption of a four-year dispute over a plot of land between locals and timber company PT Sinar Belantara Indah.

Kennedy said the police would also investigate the vandalism in which a number of cars owned by PT Sinar Belantara Indah timber company and forest rangers had been set on fire. — JP

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