Indra Harsaputra, Sidoarjo – The East Java Police have issued a shoot-on-sight order against anybody trying to disrupt activities of the National Mudflow Mitigation Team at the disaster site in Sidoarjo, East Java.

"The police also will shoot any anarchical demonstrators, whose actions could lead to the destruction of state facilities, both at Banjar Panji-1 well or other locations throughout East Java," Greater Surabaya Police chief Sr. Comr. Anang Iskandar said Tuesday.

With displaced local residents increasingly frustrated at the handling of the problem in Porong and other areas, Anang said the shoot-on-sight order was issued as a police procedure to safeguard public and state facilities. He added it was not to protect the interests of Lapindo Brantas Inc., which owns the exploration site.

"All of you already know the police will act against any acts of anarchy, right. Now the mass situation in Porong is very unstable. But we have to beware and continuously be on the alert."

Since the start of the steaming mudflow about 150 meters from the Banjar-1 well at Siring village, Anang said, the police had stationed up to 1,089 officers to safeguard the area.

Meanwhile, dozens of mudflow victims from three villages in NGOro district – Kunjoro Wesi, Wates NGOro and Munduro – again staged a rally in front of the Mojokerto Legislative Council building Tuesday to express their opposition against the dumping of hot mud in their areas.

Sulamin, the coordinator of the rally, said they were adamantly opposed to the measure because it would overflow during the rainy season and could inundate their villages, as has happened with residences near the site of the disaster.

He noted that embankments built to contain the mudflow have broken nine times thus far, inundating nearby locations. "We will organize much bigger rallies to oppose the dumping activities. We're ready for a potential conflict with anybody because the mud threatens our villages."

Dumping of the mud at NGOro village has reportedly been approved by the national mitigation team and the East Java provincial administration. East Java Governor Imam Utomo has asked for permission for the disposal from the Mojokerto regent, who has not responded to the request.

Several residents have agreed to the dumping because they said the mud could be utilized as a basic material for the production of earthenware handicrafts and roof tiles.

Rudi Novrianto, spokesman for the national team, had not commented Tuesday about dangers posed by Monday's rupture in the mudflow embankment at Siring village, which injured six people.

Four of the injured, identified as Didik, Isbianto, Agus and Ismael, have been allowed to leave the hospital after getting medical treatment, while Effendy and Syahroni remain at Sidoarjo General Hospital. They all sustained burns.

The embankment's collapse has also inundated the Surabaya-Gempol turnpike and threatened the nearby railway tracks. "We are still declaring the situation in Porong to be an emergency," Rudi said.

Several experts have said the mudflow could have been triggered by a crack about 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) deep in the Banjar Panji well. However, a group of international scientists said this week the mudflow might be a natural phenomenon that could be impossible to stop.