Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – Activists, students and farmers have protested at the headquarters of the Bandung Navy Detachment in West Java to condemn the shooting by marines of farmers in the Pasuruan regency of East Java that resulted in the killing of four people. “(The Pasuruan case) proves that the TNI [Indonesian military] are involved in agrarian problems”, said action coordinator Hafiz Asdam during a speech.

According to Asdam, this evidence adds to the series of other cases in land disputes between soldiers and local people. In West Java he cited the case of Rumpin in Bogor and the land disputes in Jatiwangi and Selabinta (Sukabumi).

Asdam also condemned President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his deputy Jusuf Kalla (SBY-JK) who have failed to issue any kind of political statement whatsoever about the case. “SBY-JK have let it pass by and legitimised what took place in Pasuruan”, he said.

The hundred or so demonstrates arrived at the headquarters of the Bandung Navy Detachment on Jl. Arya Jipang on foot. They called on the commander to take a stand on the incident.

[Translated by James Balowski.]