Indra Harsaputra and Ahmad Faisal, Surabaya – The Surabaya Legal Aid Institute (LBH) on Tuesday accused the Indonesian Military of violating international law by conducting a military exercise in a civilian area in Putat Jaya, Surabaya.

LBH director Syaiful Aris said the institute and squatters in the affected area had sent a letter to the military chief to protest the exercise, dubbed Pertempuran Kota (Urban Warfare).

"The residents' lives are at threat, since the officers used live ammunition and explosives. One resident suffered light injuries after being shot during the exercise," he said.

Another squatter, Muhajir, claimed most squatters were afraid of the gunshots that could be heard day and night during the exercise, which started Friday.

He added the exercise had also damaged two dwellings. "Although we built our homes illegally, we still pay taxes. Don't use violence against us," he said.

Squatters claim the exercise is part of an effort to evict them from the 45,550-square-meter plot of land owned by the Karya Surya Harapan Kesejahtraan Foundation.

Syaiful concurred, saying that in 2007, the foundation had hired Navy marines to guard the plot, located near the renowned Dolly brothel complex.

Residents have urged the National Land Agency to issue a ruling on the status of the land, which has been occupied for years and is now home to 3,250 people from 650 families. The land used to be part of a Chinese graveyard, locally known as Bong.

Disputes over the land arose in 2006, when the foundation's lawyers reported local leaders to the police for illegally occupying the land. Some of the leaders were questioned by Surabaya Police for allegedly destroying the foundation's assets.

On Sunday, members of the foundation were seen conducting a ritual ceremony at the graveyard, the first such occasion in many years. Foundation chairman Henry Jeconiah Gunawan denied any links between the foundation and the military exercise.

"There is no connection. But we're glad we can still pray here without any disruption from people who should not be living here," he said.

Police have since Friday deployed officers to the area. "Based on the report we received on the shooting, the area was empty. Those people were already evicted by Surabaya Public Order officials," said Surabaya Police chief Sr. Comr. Ronny Frankie Sompie.

East Java Brawijaya Military Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Bambang Sumarno denied the military exercise was a disguised eviction, saying it was aimed at improving his officers' urban combat skills.

"There's no other reason. We considered the location the least risky place among other locations. We once conducted similar exercises in hotels," Bambang said.

He added that based on medical examinations, there was no evidence the squatter who claimed to have been shot had really suffered any injuries.