"Church, advocacy groups slam Indonesian police crackdown", 3 October 2024

A church body has joined advocacy groups to condemn police crackdown on indigenous villagers and a local journalist during a demonstration against an upcoming geothermal project in Indonesia’s predominantly Christian province.

Four residents of Poco Leok village in Flores island and Herry Kabut, editor-in-chief of local media outlet Floresa, were reportedly beaten up and arrested on Oct. 2 by police in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.

The Poco Leok residents were protesting officials measuring their ancestral lands to be acquired for the power project led by the state-owned electricity company, PT PLN.

One of the arrested villagers reportedly sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized in Ruteng, the capital of Manggarai Regency. Kabut suffered bruises on his head and neck.

All the arrested were released after being held in a police vehicle for four hours.

Father Yansianus Fridus Derong, director of the Indonesian Franciscan Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, demanded the removal of Manggarai Police Chief Edwin Saleh, holding him responsible for the violent crackdown.

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The project funded by the Germany-based Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) continues to face opposition.

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