Sit-In at Office of TTS District Head (3)
Sit-In at Office of TTS District Head (3)
Thursday 12/7/2006 10:23 AM
Wed, 6 Decemeber 2006
Soe, 23.50 Central Indonesian Time
A large mass of opponents came at noon, with eight trucks and one bus and started to bother the men and women sitting-in at the District Head’s office. The sound system they brought was turned up very loud until morning and they were drunk.
At about 23.30 Indonesian Central Time these new arrivals could no longer be controlled and began to bother and provoke the masses. The TTS Chief of Police at the site negotiated with the mean and women to sleep at the police office and in the morning (about 5.30 Indonesian they would be returned.
The Chief of Police said that the police were no longer able to handle the drunken masses and if they took action things would get chaotic. To handle security of the men and women, the Police Chief asked them to sleep at the Police station and leave all the things they had brought. He promised to guard and return their things to them the next morning. Weighing several matters, the men and women finally accepted what the Chief of Police’s bargain.
Thursday, 7 December 2006Soe, 06.00 Central Indonesian TimeIn accordance with the promise made by the Chief of Police, at about 5.00 am Central Indonesian Time, the women and men were already prepared to return to the office of the District Head. Before they returned the Chief of Police ordered them not to be baited by provocation by outsiders. The women and men had to maintain their guard so that their action would be a peaceful action.
After talking awhile with the Chief of Police, the women and men were then delivered to the site with a government truck. Upon arrival at the location several banners that had been hanging as long as the people had been sitting at the District Head’s office had completely disappeared. These banners had the following written on them:1. Withdraw Mining Permits for the Sake of Environmental Preservation 2. Stop Mining!!! Save Water Sources for our Children and Grandchildren3. Reject Mining, Save Water & Food on Timor Island4. Come on, Let’s Unite to Refuse Mining5. Stop Looting the Earth of Mollo
When they saw the women and men coming, the opposition tried to resume their provocation. They tried to surround the men and women who continued to sit calmly in the yard in front of the District Head’s office, but always on guard for their safety. Despite the provocation, the women and men still do not want to leave the District Head’s office until the mining permit has been withdrawn, FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND LIVE FROM MOLLO. At the time this news was received, the women and men were still in a threatening situation.
To know directly the situation in the fields, friends can contact:
Melly Oematan/ Pak Mel : 0813537437462. Mak Leta : 0813189673193. Theos/ Arit via Yati’s handphone : 085239329345
*According to information from the field, one bus that was carrying a mass of opposition rolled over; three people died and tens of others suffered serious injuries. The truth of this information needs to be checked.
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