Jakarta – The Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) wants the police chiefs of West Nusa Tenggara and Bima fired following the deaths of three people after officers fired into a crowd of demonstrators.

"The police have lied by saying [the shootings] were in compliance with SOPs. The standard operating procedures stipulate that police should use tear gas first, then water cannon, then blank bullets and then rubber bullets to disperse protesters," IPW chairman Neta South Pane said on Tuesday in a press statement.

Instead, the police fired live bullets during the Bima clash, he said. Neta called for an investigation of the police chiefs and Bima Regent Ferry Zulkarnaen for their roles in the dispersal of the protestors.

The three people died when the police fired into demonstrators on Saturday who were demanding the revocation of PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara's (SMN) mining permit due to environmental concerns.

The police claimed their actions were in accordance with standard operating procedures. (swd)