E Kalimantan police chief defends shooting in Muara Badak incident
Tuesday, August 15 2000 - 09:30 AM WIB
Chief of East Kalimantan Police Brig Gen Bahrumsyah said the shooting of employees of Vico Indonesia's sub-contractors in Muara Badak on Thursday was carried out based on existing law.
"Police know when they have to shoot, and it would not be carried out carelessly. Our task is protecting the people as well as taking stern measures, aside from upholding the law," he said at an informal gathering here over the weekend.
He added his department was ready to take responsibility for all the measures its men had taken in Muara Badak.
"If there are parties that do not accept our measures, let them lodge a pre-trial complaint or let them report to the Minister of Human Rights. We will answer," he said.
Bahrumsyah was referring to a statement issued by the local branch of the All-Indonesia Workers Union (SBSI), condemning the shootings and accusing the police of provoking the physical clashes.
Five workers involved in a bitter two-day strike in Muara Badak were shot by the police Thursday.
The five were working for Vico Indonesia, a company based in Muara Badak subdistrict, Kutai district, and together with other workers were seeking more transparent working contracts and a wage increase of at least Rp 1.5 million, among other things.
Witnesses said the strikers, who blocked the gates of the company's factory, and the police had been involved in physical clashes since Thursday (Aug 10).
The East Kalimantan police chief said that there was no shooting instruction either from him or from any other senior police officer.
"The one who instructed the police officers in the field to shoot was the law. The action was called for by the prevailing situation. The situation incited (them to do so). Police officers know quite well when they have to shoot," he said.
Separately, the chief of the Tanjungpura Military Command called on the Vico company employees to file their suit in the proper way.
"However, any differences should be settled in a good way. Striking is a workers' right but in staging a strike, they should not violate other people's rights," he said. (*)