"The Bima police resort has so far questioned 47 suspects. They are members of the Anti-Mining People Front who were involved in blockade and arson," spokesman of the National Police Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said here on Sunday.
He said police investigators would interrogate each of the suspects for their alleged part in violent acts, including occupying the Sape ferry port and vandalizing and setting fire to public facilities.
"All the suspects will be interrogated about their involvement in the case," he said.
In the rally, the demonstrators vandalized the office of the Lambu police precinct and set fire to the official residence of the chief of the Lambu police precinct, four units of police dormitory, and a Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) building.
In addition, they also vandalized a forestry office, a youth and sports office and 25 houses, he added.
The demonstrators demanded that the Bima district head lift a decision allowing 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.
Nasution said a company of police personnel from Jakarta had been dispatched to Bima to restore security there.(*)
S012/H-NG/B003
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
