Bima regent’s office torched by angry mob

Bima regent’s office torched by angry mob
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 01/27/2012 8:40 AM

Thousands of protesters staging a rally in front of the Bima regent’s office over the handling of a recent deadly clash at Sape port on Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), ran amok and set fire the building on Thursday.

“Based on the information I received, the burned offices include the Bima regent office and the Bima regional election (KPUD) office, damaging all the equipment and furniture in the buildings. Now the angry masses, reaching about 10,000 people, are moving to the regent’s hall,” NTB Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Sukarman Husein said in Mataram on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

The mob, who came from Lambu, Sape and Langgudu districts, became angry and violent when their attempt to enter the regent office’s compound was blocked by security officers.

Previously, people from the three districts staged protests and blocked the Sape port on Dec. 24, 2011. When the protest was forcefully dispersed, two of the protesters were allegedly killed by the police.

Sukarman said that the number of the protesters on Thursday was too big to handle by law and order officers and the police.

Witnesses contacted by Antara in Mataram said that the protesters initially only wanted to occupy the regent’s office. They came in stages by motorcycles, trucks and other means of transportation.

The angry protesters later damaged the gate and burned the office buildings. The fire spread very fast as it was fanned by the strong wind.

“Yes, now the Bima regent’s office has been gutted by fire,” head of the Bima office of the Association of Muhammadiyah Students (IMM) Syamsuddin said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said there were no fatalities in the melee. Bima Regent Ferry Zulkarnaen was also safe from the violent protest as he was not there at the time of the fire. “The regent was away.”

The Thursday’s protest demanded for the release of 56 residents of Lambe and Sape, who had been detained since the December protest at Sape port.

The other demand called for an end to PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara’s (SMN) gold mining operation at the Lambe, Sape and Langgudu districts. PT SMN is one of more than 20 mining companies in operation in Bima.

The Bima regent has recently revoked the mining permit it granted under decree No. 188/2010, which was strongly opposed by local residents for fear of its potential environmental damage, according to Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik on Thursday.

Aside from burning the regent’s office, the fire also gutted the KPUD building, which was located right beside the regent office.

PT SMN’s general manager Sucipto Maridjan had said earlier that the Bima regent’s decision to temporarily stop his firm’s exploration activities could have a negative impact on investment in the local mining industry, and the continuity of exploration activities in Bima.

President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono instructed related institutions to help stop or avoid any destructive activities like what happened in Bima.

“The President has instructed Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister [Djoko Suyanto] together with the National Police chief to take anticipatory actions to prevent any destructive activities,” presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said.