Clashes have broken out outside the headquarters of the Tangerang Public Order Agency in Banten during a demonstration by members of the Benteng Chinese community who are protesting against local government attempts to evict them from their homes.

About 1,000 members of the poor and marginalized community have been resisting the administration's and the Public Order Agency's (Satpol PP's) attempts to force them from their homes in Lebak Sari Village, Neglasari. The government has been attempting to evict the community since last year, arguing that they own the land.

The plan affects 350 families, totaling 1,007 people. Tuesday's demonstration had been conducted peacefully until a protestor reportedly threw a rock at a Satpol PP officer, resulting in the ongoing standoff. There have been no reports of injuries at this stage.

Members of the community are descended from Chinese laborers who were brought to the area by Dutch colonialists in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Though they have lived at Kampung Lebak Sari for centuries and have assimilated well with local people, hundreds of years later many still do not posses government identification cards and they have no political rights.

Eddy Halomoan Gurning, a lawyer from the Legal Aid Institute who is representing the community, told Detik.com that during the 2009 legislative and presidential elections, most could not vote because they had been unable to obtain ID cards.

"They have to undergo complicated administration procedures to have ID cards or any other documents, including birth certificates or marriage certificates," Eddy said.