Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Confrontations between locals and police officers, as in the recent clash in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, that left two people dead, are attributable to police malpractice, Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) says.

"The trigger of [a clash] could be because the central government and regional administrations take the side of businessmen," Neta South Pane of the IPW said on Sunday in a press statement.

He said partisanship by the central government and regional administrations could lead them to using the police as a tool against the people on behalf of foreign businesses.

"Money has turned [government officials] into agents [working for foreign companies] in their own country," Neta said. "This is what alienates people from their own homeland."

In a case where a company caused environmental damage, the police should go after the businessman and government officials who abetted the crime by giving the businessman a permit to operate, he said. "But what happens is actually the other way around, people are shot when they try to fight for their rights," Neta said.

Hundreds of people from the People's Front Against Mining (FRAT) clashed with authorities on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (6 a.m. Jakarta time), blocking the road to the port. They had been demanding that Bima Regent Ferry Zulkarnaen revoke PT Sumber Mineral Nasional's (SMN) mining permit since Monday.

The road closure caused disruption to the port's traffic between Bima and Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara. Buses and trucks had to wait in a line that stretched up to 3 kilometers.

Local police and West Nusa Tenggara Police Mobile Brigade personnel clashed with the protesters after several failed attempts to disperse them. Two people, Arif Rachman and Syaiful, died in the clash, and dozens of others were injured, while several others were in police custody for questioning.

West Nusa Tenggara Governor M. Zainul Majdi has asked the regent to review a mining permit issued for SMN in the districts of Lambu and Sape.