Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara – Residents of a village in West Lombok protested Tuesday outside the provincial forestry office in Mataram.

They accused police and forest rangers of wrongful arrest and false accusations during a joint operation two weeks ago in the forest near their village in Sambik Bangkol, Gangga district.

Rally coordinator Agus Setiawan demanded the release of two villagers, Zuki and Jumaeda, from police custody. "The arrests are baseless. If they are suspected of illegally clearing land, then we should all be arrested," he said.

He said most of the residents had benefited from living near the forest but had never done any damage. "Why were we accused of stealing from our own homes?"

West Nusa Tenggara Forestry Office head Badrun Zaenal said the arrests were made in line with procedures. "The police certainly have proof to support the allegations that led to the arrests. And all thing related to land clearance have been stipulated in the Forestry Law."