Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Galang Police Chief Inspector Alex Yasral explained the chronology of the clash between residents of Sembulang Hulu Village, Rempang-Galang Island, Riau Islands, and workers from PT Makmur Elok Graha (PT MEG) on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The riot resulted in several residents being injured.
According to Alex, the incident began when a PT MEG worker tried to remove a banner put up by a local resident. "The banner contained a rejection of the Rempang Eco-City National Strategic Project (PSN)," he was quoted as saying by Antara on Saturday, December 20, 2024.
The removal of the banner by the PT MEG worker caused tension among Rempang residents who objected to the action. The residents then arrested the PT MEG worker and tied him up with rope.
Furthermore, other PT MEG workers reported the incident to the Galang Police. Alex claimed that the police had tried to resolve the conflict peacefully.
"However, the negotiation process did not produce results," said Alex. The community continues to hold back PT MEG workers who damaged the banner.
The tension between the residents and PT MEG workers is increasing. Alex said that negotiations took place twice, but there was no agreement between the two parties, which eventually resulted in physical clashes between residents and workers.
"The clashes resulted in several people being injured, namely one person from PT MEG and four people from the residents," he said.
Alex said that the Galang Police asked for assistance from the Barelang Police because the clashes continued to occur. The Barelang Police deployed personnel from the Samapta Unit led directly by the Head of Samapta.
According to him, at that time the officers tried to ask both parties to restrain themselves and accompany the injured victims so that they could receive medical treatment.
"We also continue to appeal to all parties to restrain themselves and not be easily provoked by information that is not clear in order to maintain peace in the community," said Alex.
Currently, the Barelang Police are still investigating the clash case. The police received two police reports from residents and one report from PT MEG.
Previously, this incident was reported to have injured nine people, one of whom suffered serious head injuries and a broken arm. The victim has been taken to the nearest hospital and underwent surgery.
The Head of the Rempang Galang Bersatu Alliance (Amar GB) Ishaka said the incident began when residents caught a PT MEG officer red-handed destroying a banner on the hill of Sembulang Hulu village, Rempang Island, at 19.00 WIB, Tuesday, December 17, 2024. He said that banner destruction often occurs on Rempang Island. Residents consider this banner destruction to be intimidation.
The residents then detained the person. Shaka contacted the police to take the perpetrator to the Galang Police. When they were about to hand over the detainee, the residents asked for an agreement so that PT MEG would promise not to enter the village again and carry out intimidation, including destroying the banner. "However, negotiations did not take place," said Shaka.
After the police arrived, negotiations for an agreement did not occur. Until finally around midnight, a lorry containing PT MEG officers arrived at the location. "That's where the chaos happened, they came by force to take the alleged perpetrator of the banner destruction," said Shaka.
Shaka was shocked because PT MEG had made preparations by coming using a lorry to attack Sembulang Hulu. "They attacked residents, residents who had no weapons, motorbikes were destroyed, cars were destroyed around the incident, they met people who were slaughtered, they met goods who were slaughtered," he said.
– Yogi Eka Syahputra contributed to the writing of this article.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1955670/chronology-of-the-attack-on-rempang-residents-police-versio