Mariel Grazella, Jakarta – London-based rights group Amnesty International has brought under the spotlight the arbitrary and excessive use of force and firearms by law enforcers in Langkat, North Sumatra, during the eviction of Barak Induk, Damar Hitam and Sei Minyak villagers following a land dispute with the government.

According to a report published by Amnesty, around 700 families from the three villages were locked in a land dispute with the local government, which alleged that their settlement lay within the Leuser Mountain National Park (TNGL). Many of the families had aparently been displaced in 1999-2000 during the Aceh armed conflict.

"According to local sources, on the morning of June 27, 2011, at least 5,000 people from the three villages were invited to meet with officers from the TNGL and others to discuss the ongoing dispute. After waiting for more than three hours, villagers from Sei Minyak received news that their houses were being destroyed in an attempt to forcibly evict them from the land," the report, recently made available to The Jakarta Post, says.

The report adds that based on the villagers account, the TNGL team carried out the evictions with the support of 1,000 personnel from North Sumatra Mobile Police Brigade Unit (Brimob), the Yonif-8 Marine Unit, the Raider 100 Army Unit, the Rapid Reaction Unit of the 0203 District Military Command (Kodim), around 100 hired individuals and two elephants.

"The Brimob officers fired tear gas at the protesters as they rushed to defend their homes and property. Some of the Brimob officers then opened fire on the crowd using both live rounds and rubber bullets, injuring at least nine people. Six other villagers were reportedly kicked and beaten by Brimob officers and officers from the TNGL," the report said.

As a result, at least five houses were destroyed, leaving at least 15 people homeless. "To Amnesty International's knowledge there has been no investigation of the incident," the report adds.