Jakarta – Police have named 56 Bima residents and five West Nusa Tenggara Police officers suspects in a clash that took place between protesters and authorities at Sape port on Dec. 24, 2011. The 56 residents are now in police custody.

"We are handling 56 residents who have been named suspects in the Bima clash," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said at his office in Jakarta on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

He also said that police had named two officers suspects in the Bima clash, adding to the three police officers previously named in the same case.

"The two officers [most recently named suspects] come from the Bima Police, First Brig. A and First. Brig. MS," Saud said as quoted tribunnews.com. "We will bring all five [police] suspects to the disciplinary court in the near future," he said.

Police had earlier indicted First Brig. F and First. Brig. S, both of whom are members of the Bima Police, and Second Brig. F from the West Nusa Tenggara Mobile Brigade.

Saud also said police were continuing their investigation to determine if bullets that killed and injured residents during the clash matched those used by authorities.

"We recovered eight rubber bullets from the bodies of victims who were injured and are now being treated in a hospital in Bima. We will determine what kind of weapon was used," he said.

The clash began when a number of residents, citing environmental concerns, demonstrated against the Bima administration by blocking the road to Sape port, demanding the revocation of a mining permit issued to PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara.

Two residents from Suni village, identified as Arif Rahman, 18, Syaiful, 17, and a West Nusa Tenggara Muhammadiyah University student, Immawan Ashary, were killed during the clash. (mtq)