Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has vowed to press ahead with the development of a new waste processing plant in Bojong village, despite mounting opposition from residents and local legislators after police opened fire on protesters at the site.
"The Bojong waste processing plant will continue to become the place with the highest technology for waste processing, unless someone offers me a higher form of technology, but no other technology has been offered," he was quoted as saying Thursday (25/11/04) by detikcom online news portal.
Locals in Bogor regency think otherwise, fearing the facility will cause health problems and damage the environment.
The plant was supposed to package all waste into compressed bales, but its machinery can only process non-organic waste, so the operator has reportedly decided to convert the facility into an incinerator.
A protest by about 2,000 locals at the facility on Monday turned violent when some of them attempted to set fire to the plant. Some also used to sticks and rocks to smash buildings and vehicles.
The 20 police guards hired by the plant's operator were greatly outnumbered and responded with tear gas before opening fire into the crowd. At least five people were shot and wounded, while 37 were beaten and detained.
Reports on Thursday said 18 of the detainees had been released and 19 were still being held, while another five villagers had gone missing after the incident.
National Police chief General Dai Bachtiar has ordered an inquiry into whether police used excessive force to crush the protest, while Bogor legislative assembly has recommended the temporary closure of the plant.
Sutiyoso responded angrily to the recommendation, warning that foreign investors would flee Indonesia if authorities in Jakarta give in to the actions of "anarchists".
He claimed the anarchic action has already prompted private investors from Canada and South Korea to think twice about committing to waste processing projects in the capital.
Responding to allegations the plant will damage the environment, Sutiyoso said he would close down the plant if it poses such dangers.
"But why not test it first? There has to be a test. As governor I dare not say that [there is or isn't environmental damage] because I'm not an expert. The experts are welcome to observe it. I'm willing to close the waste processing facility there is environmental damage," he said.
He added the facility could not yet be tested because it was damaged by the anarchists, who had also damaged Indonesia's investment climate.
Sutiyoso was speaking to reporters after a meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who he said also endorsed the continuation of the project. "I have just spoken with the vice president and he ordered that the Bojong waste processing facility continue."
The governor is accustomed to using brutality to push through unpopular projects. According to the Urban Poor Consortium, about 50,000 people have been evicted from their homes in Jakarta over the past three years as part of Sutiyoso's development strategies. Many of the evictions resulted in bloodshed when security authorities attacked impoverished locals who refused to leave their simple homes.