Rahmat, Makassar – A clash erupted on Thursday between thousands of students and the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in part of a land dispute that has raged for years in the Polewali Mandar district of West Sulawesi.

The confrontation left at least 20 students and two lecturers of Asariyah Mandar University injured. At least two of them reportedly sustained gunshot wounds. At least 15 police officers were also injured in the melee.

Hours before the fight, officials from the Polewali Mandar District Court, accompanied by hundreds of police officers, arrived at the university grounds. They demanded that the return of the disputed land – the campus grounds – be carried out in accordance to court orders.

The dispute dates back to 2005, when a court ruled that the Polewali Mandar branch of the religious educational institution Darud Dakwah Wal Irsyad (DDI) was the rightful owner.

"The clash erupted an hour after negotiations between the university and the district court ended badly. This land dispute has been going on forever," said Syariat Tajuddin of Asariyah Mandar University.

Syariat told the Jakarta Globe that the court officials, accompanied by police officers led by Polewali Mandar Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. I Gusti Ngurah Rai Mahaputra, insisted the land be officially handed over on Thursday, even as thousands of students and people living in the area were still present.

"The students insisted on holding onto the campus grounds and did not even allow court officials to approach the campus gates," Syariat said. "During the clash, blocks of wood, rocks and Molotov cocktails were thrown toward the police officers. This went on for two hours and police fired on the students several times.

"The situation was completely out of control. Both students and lecturers were being beaten by police officers.

Tension eased slightly at around 1 p.m. with the arrival of Polewali Mandar Deputy District Head Nadjamuddin Ibrahim, and by 2 p.m., police began to gradually retreat from the campus. The execution of the land did not go ahead as a result of the clash."

West Sulawesi Police Chief Insp. Gen. Johny Wainal Usman said Thursday's attempt was the third to get the university to officially hand over the illegally occupied land to the DDI.

"This [measure] is based on a court ruling. The DDI has won the case. We just followed procedure," Johny said. "They [the rioters] brought rocks and Molotov cocktails. We were cornered and they were in the thousands," he added.

"Police officers fired warning shots into the air, but we didn't fire on people."