"The company has promised the locals in the past to build public facilities and electricity networks but it has not yet realized it until now," Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig Gen Dewa Parsana said here on Monday.
Because the promise was not kept, the local people gathered and vented their discontent by visiting Tiaka Island, one of the company`s asset. They were disappointed after they failed to have negotiation with the management of the company.
"They want to have negotiations with the boss of the firm but they failed because the boss was in Jakarta," Dewa said.
The angry mobs then vandalized the office building and facilities of the company and pelted its oil well with Molotov cocktails that caused the oil field to catch fire.
He said that police had taken persuasive approaches and called on them not to be anarchic.
The angry mobs` indiscriminate action forced the apparatuses in the field to fire a warning shot before they shot at the rioters, the Central Sulawesi police chief said.
The oil well belonged to the consortium between PT Pertamina and PT Medco Joint Operating Body (JOB).
During the rioting, one rioter was shot dead, three were injured and 19 others arrested. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
