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Masterminds of oil-well attacks arrested

Source
Indonesian Observer - November 8, 2000 (abridged)

Jakarta – Police in Riau province yesterday arrested five local residents suspected of masterminding arson attacks on five oil-wells operated by PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia (CPI).

The arson took place on Monday afternoon in Tanah Putih subdistrict, Rokan Hilir district, when a mob claiming to belong to the Tani Sawit Permai oil palm farmers group torched the wells.

Riau Police spokesman Superintendent S. Pandiangan said the five alleged provocateurs of the incident are Opu Taruli Panjaitan (60), Evi Boru Manurung (26), Jitu Panjaitan (28), Tambelan Surbakti (40) and Erwan Surbakti (35). They are being held at Bengkalis Police station for questioning, he said.

The police spokesman said the oil wells were set ablaze at about 2pm. The oil companys fire brigade worked hard for two hours to get the blazes under control.

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