Indonesia
Indonesia protesters set fire to mayor office in mining company demo
Protesters on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, set fire to a mayor’s office, demanding compensation over a mining company’s activities. The unrest highlights growing tensions over mining and land issues.
GORONTALO, INDONESIA — Protesters have set fire to a mayor’s office on an Indonesian island to demand compensation over a mining company’s activity in their area, police said, adding that several arrests had been made.
The growing presence of mining companies on Indonesia’s main islands has caused riots and clashes in recent years over poor working conditions and land encroachment.
The unrest began Thursday in Pohuwato regency in Gorontalo province on mineral-rich Sulawesi island when a march involving some 2,500 protesters approached the local mayor’s office but no official was willing to meet with them, according to local media reports.
Community activists had organised a march to demand compensation over gold mining activity in their area by PT Puncak Emas Tani Sejahtera, a subsidiary of PT Merdeka Copper Gold which oversees the Pani Gold Project mine.
“Regarding the demo, the police are still working hard to investigate the riot that happened during the demonstration in Pohuwato,” Gorantalo police said on its website late Thursday, quoting spokesman Desmont Harjendro.
After the mayor’s office was set on fire, protesters headed to the local parliament to stage another demonstration, where the building was also damaged, according to reports.
Harjendro said “several protesters” were detained and that police were guarding the sites.
“They will be questioned regarding the violent demonstration that ended in the destruction of several facilities including the burning of Pohuwato mayor’s office,” he said.
He warned other protesters they would be arrested if they engaged in violent attacks or damaged public property.
Boyke Poerbaya Abidin, president director of Merdeka Copper Gold and PT Puncak Emas Tani Sejahtera, criticised the demonstrators.
“We deeply regret the incident and we condemn the violent acts by the irresponsible protesters that has caused damages,” he said in a statement Thursday.
He said the mining project was operating on a government-approved licence.
— AFP
Community
Naked Russian tourist causes stir in Bali, claims sleepwalking
A Russian tourist, claiming sleepwalking, alarmed residents by walking naked in Bali. He received a warning, with the Indonesian police emphasizing the need of respect for local norms.
INDONESIA: In an unusual incident that left residents of Darmawangsa Street in Banjar Petangan, Kutuh Village, South Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali, perplexed, a Russian national, identified as DS (34), was seen strolling naked on Wednesday (27 Sep).
This bizarre incident has sparked concerns among locals and raised questions about the man’s actions.
According to local authorities, DS, who is a professional parkour athlete in his home country, was apprehended shortly after the incident. He claimed to suffer from a sleepwalking disorder.
“DS admitted to having a history of sleepwalking and is currently taking prescribed medication,” stated I Ketut Sukadi, the Head of the Public Relations Section at the Denpasar City Police Resort (Polresta), in a written statement.
Sukadi further explained that, based on reports from witnesses, the foreign tourist was observed leaving a villa and walking towards Darmawangsa Street in the buff around 9.22 am local time.
Upon reaching a workshop, he stood motionless for approximately 30 minutes. Subsequently, the tourist was seen crossing the road multiple times.
Alarmed residents who witnessed the scene promptly alerted local law enforcement.
Officers from the Kuta Police Sector, along with Public Order Officers (Linmas) and the Municipal Police Unit (Satpol PP) of Kutuh Village, rushed to the scene. DS fled into a villa in South Kuta upon seeing the gathering crowd and officials approaching.
During questioning, DS revealed that he had been staying at a Guest House in Tabanan Regency, Bali, as a guest of a friend since Tuesday (26 Sep).
Following the incident, the police collaborated with immigration authorities to examine DS’s travel documents to Bali. It was confirmed that his immigration documents were in order, resulting in a mere warning for his actions.
“DS is a professional parkour athlete in his home country. At this time, he has only received a stern warning,” added Sukadi.
In light of this incident, Sukadi urged all tourists, both domestic and foreign, within the jurisdiction of Polresta Denpasar, to always respect and honor Bali’s culture, customs, and applicable regulations. He emphasized the importance of adhering to local norms and laws to avoid any violations.
Crime
Indonesian woman returns paralyzed from Riyadh sparks human trafficking suspicions
Budi Hartini, a paralyzed Indonesian migrant worker returning from Riyadh, prompts a human trafficking investigation, raising concerns about migrant worker safety.
INDONESIA: In a shocking turn of events, a 39-year-old woman identified as Budi Hartini hailing from Teniga Village in the Tanjung District of North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has been left paralyzed after her return from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in September 2022.
Authorities suspect that she may have fallen victim to human trafficking.
Hartini’s condition is currently dire, as she is unable to speak and is confined to a wheelchair. Disturbingly, there are visible stitches on her head and scars on her throat.
Muhammad Saleh, the Chairperson of the Migrant Workers Legal Aid Center, revealed, “When she was brought back (picked up in Jakarta), she was already paralyzed, her head had already been fractured but had been stitched back together. Her body is now paralyzed; she can’t speak, can’t do anything, and no one seems to be taking responsibility.”
Budi Hartini has filed a report on her alleged human trafficking ordeal with the North Lombok Regional Police.
Accompanied by her family, the village head, the Legal Aid Center, and migrant worker protection advocates, she submitted her complaint to the Directorate of General Crime Investigation (Dit Reskrimum) at the NTB Regional Police headquarters.
According to Saleh, Hartini’s case goes beyond the usual human trafficking cases and involves potential violations of human rights.
“Because this case is not just a regular human trafficking case, but it involves human rights violations. The victim’s head was fractured, allegedly from a fall at the airport. But we do not yet know if this occurred at the airport,” he explained.
Saleh added that if the victim did fall at the airport, there should be an official statement from airport authorities or a local hospital.
“Because the airport is a highly accountable place. So, if someone falls, there should be a letter from the airport authorities, perhaps if she was still under the airline’s responsibility, there should also be a letter from the local police, a letter from the hospital, including the local government,” Saleh emphasized.
Novita Sari, a Migrant Worker Advocate, recounted that the incident began when Hartini registered as a domestic worker intending to go to the Middle East in May 2022, through an intermediary known as SY.
Shortly afterwards, Hartini was processed and sent to a shelter in Jakarta. After one week in Jakarta, she was then provided with a ticket to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
From the moment BD left for Riyadh, her family in Lombok received no further information.
“Based on the information we received, she had an accident at Riyadh Airport. According to what we heard, she had a head injury and underwent surgery,” Novita explained.
Throughout the surgical and medical treatment processes, the family received no communication whatsoever.
“During this process, there was no information given to the family, neither at the time of the incident nor during her treatment,” Novita stated.
Three months after Hartini’s alleged fall at Riyadh Airport, the family was informed that Hartini would be repatriated due to her illness.
“They only mentioned she was sick, without specifying the nature of her illness,” Novita added.
Upon Hartini’s return on 3 September 2022, the family was shocked and devastated. Budi Hartini, who had departed as a healthy migrant worker, returned in a pitiful condition.
Her hair had been shaved due to surgery, and there were visible stitches on her head from a surgical procedure. She also had scars on her throat, rendering her unable to speak, relying solely on gestures. Hartini’s condition remains far from stable.
Accompanied by her family, Hartini has reported the alleged human trafficking case to the NTB Regional Police in hopes of obtaining justice.
“Our hope is to achieve justice because this has led to permanent disability and to deter other intermediaries,” Novita remarked.
In response to the case, Ni Made Pujewati, the Head of Subdirectorate IV at the NTB Regional Police’s Directorate of General Crime Investigation, stated that they would thoroughly investigate the recruitment process of victims sent to work in Saudi Arabia.
“We will delve into the facts of what the victim actually experienced, starting from the recruitment process, this is a fragment that needs to be explored,” Pujawati said on Monday, September 25, 2023.
The NTB Regional Police’s Human Trafficking Task Force, in collaboration with district police departments, has already uncovered 31 cases in 2023 involving hundreds of Indonesian migrant workers.
Among these cases, Hartini’s condition has been described as the most severe.
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