Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Police have detained 31 people in connection with a clash between demonstrators and police personnel in Bima district, West Nusa Tenggara province, a spokesman said.

The 31 people consisted of 25 adults and six children, spokesman of the National Police Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said here on Saturday.

Three of the people, identified by their initials as H, A alias O and SY, were arrested on charges of inciting the clash, he said adding H had earlier been put on the West Nusa Tenggara police`s wanted list.

He said two people were killed in the clash. They were identified as Arief Rachman (18) and Syaiful (17).

The police also had seized 10 short machetes, four sickles, one lance, one molotov cocktail and two bottles of gasoline from the demonstrators as evidence, he said.

"The mob set fire to the Lambu police station and a number of other government office buildings," he said.

The mob who claimed to be members of anti-mining front demanded that the Bima district head lift a decision which allowed mining firm PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara to operate in the district and urged the security agencies to release AS who had earlier been handed to the public prosecutor`s office.

AS was charged with inciting the mob to set fire to the office of Lambu subdistrict head on March 10, 2011.

During the protest the mob also had occupied Sape ferry port since December 20, 2011.

Nasution said both the Bima district head and the West Nusa Tenggara police chief had several times held negotiations with the mob but they insisted on continuing the protest until their demand was fulfilled.

"Activities at the Sape ferry port have now returned to normal," he said. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011