INDONESIA: Military open fire on protesting villagers in Central Java

Dear friends, 

Since Saturday April 16, 2011 several farmers have been injured by military violence in Kebumen regency, Central Java. The actions of the military personnel included beating, kicking and shooting, allegedly with rubber bullets caused several persons injured. Ten villagers were arrested after they protested against the occupation of their land by the military. On April 16, 2011 several villagers joined a procession to the graves of child victims of past military exercises in the area. Provocation by the local military escalated the situation. Some of the victims were brought to hospitals and many left the area due to fear of further violence by the military and police. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned about the ongoing arrests and sweeping operations in the area. 

CASE NARRATIVE:

After years of disputes over the use of land by the military in the Kebumen Regency farmers had built a road block of trees on April 11, 2011 to prevent the Indonesian military (TNI) from accessing the disputed land they claimed. On Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 9.30 in the morning about 30 residents conducted a procession to the tombs of children who became civilian victims of mortar explosions in 1997 due to military activities. The tombs in Setrojenar village are located only 400 m away from the TNI office. At 12.00 noon TNI forces dismantled the road block. Between 12.30 and 14.00 pm, more villagers had gathered to join the procession after the military had removed the roadblock. 

The protesters rebuilt roadblocks and since the military was not supposed to conduct exercises in that area, the sudden removal of the roadblock was considered by the villagers as a provocation. Following this, the by then more than 150 protesters, moved towards the local TNI exercise area near Buluspesantren and broke open the entrance gate. The crowd then went on to break the walls of a former armory and teared down a tower the army had built on the resident’s land. 

Once the villagers returned to their original procession area between 14.00 and 15.00 o’clock, fully armed TNI soldiers had lined up. According to the protesters the military had not given any warnings before they opened fire against the protesters causing injuries to four persons. When the crowd started panicking the TNI soldiers went on to beat some villagers and continue sweeping operations. Police officers who were not in uniform were present during the clashes.

Please see photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Following this, the military conducted violent arrests in the village including beating with batons and kicking causing injuries and the destruction of property 

1. Nur Hidayat bin Muchdin (39 yrs, male), resident of Kuang Hamlet, Setrojenar village; hit and kicked in the stomach 
2. Muhajir bin Saia (30 yrs, male), resident of Kepek Hamlet, Setrojenar village; beaten by solders with a stick without warning 
3. Paryono bin Dullah Afandi (39 yrs, male), resident of Kepek Hamlet, Setrojenar village; beaten by soldiers resulting in a torn lip 
4. Solekhudin bin Sadir (19 yrs, male), Setrojenar village; beaten with batons and kicked with army boots by a group of solders; some of his property was destroyed, he was then taken to the Dislitbang TNI building were beatings continued and the soldiers interrogated him. The victim suffers from bruises on his body, body ache other symptoms of severe treatment. 
5. Marifun bin Jumain (31 yrs, male), Karangkembang village; 
6. Imam Zuhdi bin Muh Samidja (36 yrs, male), resident of Dk. Godi, Setrojenar village 

Only after this treatment and arrest by the TNI soldiers were the victims handed over to the police. Between 15.00 and 17.00 police officers in civilian dress continued to persecute people. The villagers did not dare to leave their houses during the operations. The military continued sweeping operations in the evening and the following day. Further operations by more than 100 TNI members are being conducted at the moment putting more villagers at risk of arbitrary arrest and violence. 

Other victims of the violence by the security forces had to be brought to hospitals. 

Victims of violence on April 16, 2011 
1. Samsudin (27 yrs, male), Setrojenar village; bruising on the back, head wounds, participated in the villagers protests 
2. Kusriyanto (29 yrs, male), Setrojenar village; wounded in the right buttocks by a bullet, did not participate in the protests but happened to be passing in the street 
3. Mustafa (65 yrs, male), Setrojenar village; head and face trampled by army causing bruises and a swollen left eye, weapon wounds 
4. Surip Supangat (38 yrs, male) Kadesh Setrojenar; shot in the hand and buttocks, did not join the protest actions. His vehicle was destroyed. 
5. Sarwadi (29 yrs, male) Setrojenar village, shot in the upper right thigh 
6. Aris Panji, Research Division FPPKS – citizen group, right temple and mouth torn, was documenting the citizen protest, was trampled by soldiers and documentation equipment confiscated by the army 
7. Mulyanto (21 yrs, male) Setrojenar village, shot in the back 
8. Elias (35 yrs, male) Setrojenar village, shot in the back when coming home from farming work on the fields, did not participate in protest action 
9. Kasantri (19 yrs, male) Setrojenar village, fracture of left foot after army beating with the butts and batons, was on his way home from farming work did not join protest action, does not remember detailed incidents due to falling temporarily unconscious from beatings and shots 
10. Martijo (32 yrs, male) Setrojenar village, shot in the right hand, was returning from rice fields 

Violence continued on the following day, April 17, 2011 with more sweeping operations between 10.30 and 18.30 hours. 

Persons arrested on April 17, 2011 
1. Johann 
2. Adi Waluyo 
3. Solehan 
4. Yono 

Victims of violence on April 17, 2011 
1. Bajuri (37 yrs, male) Setrojenar village, reflected bullet hit on the right thigh, back pain from the bullet hit 
2. Ahyadi, male, Setrojenar village 
3. Samirin, male Setrojenar village 
4. Sarmo, male, Setrojenar village 

By 18.25 hours on April 17, 2011 seven of the then ten arrested persons were released, while three remain under investigation. 

Registration numbers of vehicles destroyed by the security forces 
1. RX – KING AB 4528 
2. YAMAHA F1ZR PM AA 5731 
3. SUPRA X AA 3796 CM 
4. AA 2978 YAMAHA JUPITER RW 
5. 6119 YAMAHA F1ZR NUS 
6. JUPITER Z – 
7. SUPRA FIT AA 3746 CW 
8. 4900 KAWASAKI NINJA B IP 
9. SUPRA X 125 AA 4852 W 
10. HONDA WIN AA HD 9704 
11. Shogun 125 R 6082 RH 
12. AA SMASH 2677 NM 

The value of the destroyed property is estimated to be in the region of IDR 60,000,000 (USD 7,000) excluding the crops destroyed by the military. 

Some of the victims may face criminal charges under article 170 of the Indonesian Penal Code. Those suspects later declared as witnesses by the police were required to report back to the police daily, violating criminal procedure. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

The disproportional dominance of the military on local levels and the lack of avenues to obtain redress for violations caused by the military leave often no effective options for villagers to challenge the use of land and the activities conducted by the military. In the concerned area in this case several children had died from mortar explosions in the past and the demand for justice regarding the military use of farm lands in the area has not been addressed so far. As a result the villagers anger was expressed in the protests on Saturday April 16, 2011. 

The Indonesian laws on military do not allow members of the military be held accountable by a reliable court for crimes committed against civilians. Military members are instead tried at best by internal military tribunal that would give low or no punishments and don’t conform with standards of fair trial. 

See related case on military impunity 
INDONESIA: Impunity for soldiers accused of torturing an indigenous Papuan 

SUGGESTED ACTION: 

Please write to the authorities to urge a timely intervention into the conflict in Kebumen area including a comprehensive process to settle the land disputes and provide remedies for the villagers, investigate the disproportional use of violence by the military and the illegal process of arrests conducted. Please also call on the Indonesian government to review the law on military courts which continues to provide impunity for members of the Indonesian national army (TNI). 

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