Violent Land Dispute Between Indonesian Police and Farmers Caught on Tape
Jakarta.
Indonesia Corruption Watch have reacted strongly to reports that police in Bengkulu Province sexually harassed and physically abused 50 villagers in Seluma district as they protested against what they claim is a land grab by the state.
ICW activist Tama Satrya Langkun, recently in the headlines after he was beaten by unknown assailants after reporting a number of senior police generals to the Corruption Eradication Commission, said they had received concerning reports of a clash between farmers from Pering Baru village and Seluma Police on Friday.
He alleged that police had sexually harassed six women, injured 20 farmers and arrested 21 people in the incident.
The villagers were protesting against state plantation firm PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VII in a land dispute.
On Tuesday, six women from the village laid charges of sexual harassment against the officers with Bengkulu Police’s Bureau of Professionalism and Security Affairs (Propam).
Zenzi Suhadi, deputy director of the Bengkulu branch of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), told state news agency Antara that the officers forced the women to take off some of their clothes.
“The police officers forced them to strip in front of their children and their parents. It was obviously harassment,” he said.
Part of the incident was filmed and uploaded on Youtube. It is titled “kekerasan & pelecehan seksual aparat terhadap rakyat di bengkulu.”
The video also shows police filming the incident. Gunfire can also be heard and at least one officer is filmed discharging his weapon in the air.
is this sort of corruption and abuse by the police common in Indonesia and if so can anything be done about it?
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/violent-land-dispute-between-indonesian-police-and-farmers-caught-on-tape/388184
Originally posted by utherpendragonwhere's FMF?
[b]Violent Land Dispute Between Indonesian Police and Farmers Caught on Tape
Jakarta.
Indonesia Corruption Watch have reacted strongly to reports that police in Bengkulu Province sexually harassed and physically abused 50 villagers in Seluma district as they protested against what they claim is a land grab by the state.
ICW activist Tama ...[text shortened]... aglobe.com/home/violent-land-dispute-between-indonesian-police-and-farmers-caught-on-tape/388184[/b]
Originally posted by utherpendragonThis dosen't make sense this against the public displays of nudity law all who were asked to strip could be arrested for being naked couldn't they?
[b]Violent Land Dispute Between Indonesian Police and Farmers Caught on Tape
Jakarta.
Indonesia Corruption Watch have reacted strongly to reports that police in Bengkulu Province sexually harassed and physically abused 50 villagers in Seluma district as they protested against what they claim is a land grab by the state.
ICW activist Tama ...[text shortened]... aglobe.com/home/violent-land-dispute-between-indonesian-police-and-farmers-caught-on-tape/388184[/b]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/31/2406371.htm
Originally posted by AThousandYoungYes it's fairly common. It has improved, to a degree. Changing the 'corporate culture' of the police is a horribly slow process, possibly a generational thing. Overt, ostentatious abuse like that described in the OP was more common under the Soeharto dictatorship but, at the same time, it was far less likely to to have been reported.
[b]is this sort of corruption and abuse by the police common in Indonesia and if so can anything be done about it? 😠[/b]
Unclear land rights and resulting land grabs by developers/government offices who want land that is being lived on and/or worked by 'poor people' back since anyone can remember, is an ugly ongoing thing here. When you see, from time to time, a whole neighbourhood accidentallyburn down in (say) Jakarta, expect to see a shopping mall there 2 years later.
My penny's worth is that the officers in the Bengkulu case will be in trouble behind closed doors for not nailing this enforcement job in a more discreet way, as gangsters should. No need for showy intimidation and retribution. The hidden hand, while not always so hidden, ought not be as unhidden as this, etc.