Over 1500 police personnel unleash brutal attack on peasants in Mekar Jaya village, Indonesia
▻https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-mainmenu-40/peasants-right-resources/2188-over-1500-police-personnel-unleash-brutal-attack-on-peasants-in-m
Over 1500 police personnel launched a despicable attack on peasant members of SPI (Indonesian Peasants’ Union), in Langkat District of North Sumatra Province of Indonesia and exterminated hundreds of acres of peasant land, so as to favour a foreign plantation companies. Several protesting peasants were severly injured in this brutal attack that took place on the 18th of November in Mekar Jaya village.
Suriono, from SPI Langkat explained, “Before the eviction and extermination, we asked the police to sit together and discuss this issue in the National Land Agency of Langkat District. But they refused it”. Suriono requested the large battalion of cops to leave the land as it would only frighten the peasants and local residents.
“But instead of going away and regardless of our the explanation, they continued bulldozing and leveling agricultural land and peasant’s housing,” he said.
“This brutality notwithstanding, police officers chased the peasants inside the village and Sadikun, a peasant member of SPI Mekar Jaya village was arrested by the police,” added Suriono.