Situation Update: People of Fatumnasi Attacked by Thugs Following Court Session
Situation Update
People of Fatumnasi Attacked by Thugs Following Court Session
Kupang, 29 March 2007
Concerns that intimidation or attacks on the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi during court sessions have been proven real. The session when the people brought a complaint to court held on Thursday (29/03/07) at the State Court in Soe, South Central Timor District (TTS) ended with hitting by several people who have been on the side of the mining company. Three residents experienced bruises as a result of the hits they suffered as they were preparing to go home to Fatumnasi after the court session.
The men and women who have been rejecting the mining of Faut Lik and Fatu Ob in Kuanoel Village by PT Tedja Sekawan of Surabaya arrived in two vehicles at the State Justice building in Soe at 11.00. Accompanied by a lawyer, Magnus Kobesi, SH, the people attended the court session in an orderly fashion.
This third court session was a continuation of the previous session held on 10 March 2007, the agenda being to read the accusation. In this third session, Magnus Kobesi, SH withdrew the earlier accusation and planned to immediately put forward a new one. However, the listing of the [new] accusation was not possible because the clerk of court was absent.
The people had heard and knew about the attack before it happened. Prior to the sidang observers reported that the atmosphere around the Soe Court Building was unusual. There was a mobilization of a mass of people whose identities were unknown. A large number of them gathered in groups and spread out. These people did not only gather in the yard of the court, but also in several locations around the area of the court.
The Attack
After the court session was finished, the villagers from Kuanoel-Fatumnasi tried to leave the courtroom as a group. Suddenly a man named Nicolas Silab hit Mr. Lot Taklale on his back right at the entrance to the Soe Justice building. Not much later, Yani Tameleb hit Yati Kase in the face. As a result, Yati fell forward and was disoriented for a few moments.
Seeing the situation, Aleta Ba'un who was in the middle of the mass, tried to calm people to avoid an escalation of conflict/physical confrontation. However, Leta herself was attacked and hit by Yani Tamaleb. Fortunately, Leta was wearing a motorcycle helmet so that she wasn’t wounded, and instead the one who hit her hurt his hand. The attackers became increasingly angry and Mama Erna was also hit twice; once striking her child whom she was holding.
The police in the location of the attack just let it happen without doing anything. Seeing that the situation was heating up and holding to the principle of struggling without violence, the people tried to avoid the attacks and walk towards the lawyer’s vehicle. About 30 people crowded into the lawyer’s vehicle (a pick-up) for safety and evacuation to the office of Humanitarian Action Foundation.
After waiting there for awhile, the people were finally able to return home to Fatumnasi at about 5 pm. Not long afterwards, a group of police (not traffic police) tried to hold up the vehicle that had carried the people, accusing the driver of breaking traffic regulations. The police let the vehicle go after a process of negotiation.
According to other information, Leta and her family are being targeted for attacks and have been threatened with murder by thugs. Several times Leta’s house has been approached and threats made that it will be burned. Leta is being held responsible for Kuanoel-Fatumnasi villagers who cased away several residents of Fatumnasi who were working for PT Tedja Sekawan.
The threats and intimidation directed at Leta and others have been reported to the police. However, up until now there has been no action by the police to respond to these reports. As a result, the thugs are increasingly brazen intimidating and attacking without fear, even committing these actions openly.
The people [who oppose the mining] are increasingly under pressure and cornered; the criminalization process against the people continues. One example is the case of Yosafat Toto (YT). YT, whose house has been used as a post by the resistance and who is a stabbing victim, now sits in jail while the thugs who committed the stabbing have not been touched at all by the law. There is other information that several others have been determined to be witnesses and are waiting for the next legal action.
The struggle of the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi Villages to recover their rights is increasingly heavy. The people must face a large wall called power with the process of intimidation and various threats that continue to increase. From whom will the people find justice???
People of Fatumnasi Attacked by Thugs Following Court Session
Kupang, 29 March 2007
Concerns that intimidation or attacks on the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi during court sessions have been proven real. The session when the people brought a complaint to court held on Thursday (29/03/07) at the State Court in Soe, South Central Timor District (TTS) ended with hitting by several people who have been on the side of the mining company. Three residents experienced bruises as a result of the hits they suffered as they were preparing to go home to Fatumnasi after the court session.
The men and women who have been rejecting the mining of Faut Lik and Fatu Ob in Kuanoel Village by PT Tedja Sekawan of Surabaya arrived in two vehicles at the State Justice building in Soe at 11.00. Accompanied by a lawyer, Magnus Kobesi, SH, the people attended the court session in an orderly fashion.
This third court session was a continuation of the previous session held on 10 March 2007, the agenda being to read the accusation. In this third session, Magnus Kobesi, SH withdrew the earlier accusation and planned to immediately put forward a new one. However, the listing of the [new] accusation was not possible because the clerk of court was absent.
The people had heard and knew about the attack before it happened. Prior to the sidang observers reported that the atmosphere around the Soe Court Building was unusual. There was a mobilization of a mass of people whose identities were unknown. A large number of them gathered in groups and spread out. These people did not only gather in the yard of the court, but also in several locations around the area of the court.
The Attack
After the court session was finished, the villagers from Kuanoel-Fatumnasi tried to leave the courtroom as a group. Suddenly a man named Nicolas Silab hit Mr. Lot Taklale on his back right at the entrance to the Soe Justice building. Not much later, Yani Tameleb hit Yati Kase in the face. As a result, Yati fell forward and was disoriented for a few moments.
Seeing the situation, Aleta Ba'un who was in the middle of the mass, tried to calm people to avoid an escalation of conflict/physical confrontation. However, Leta herself was attacked and hit by Yani Tamaleb. Fortunately, Leta was wearing a motorcycle helmet so that she wasn’t wounded, and instead the one who hit her hurt his hand. The attackers became increasingly angry and Mama Erna was also hit twice; once striking her child whom she was holding.
The police in the location of the attack just let it happen without doing anything. Seeing that the situation was heating up and holding to the principle of struggling without violence, the people tried to avoid the attacks and walk towards the lawyer’s vehicle. About 30 people crowded into the lawyer’s vehicle (a pick-up) for safety and evacuation to the office of Humanitarian Action Foundation.
After waiting there for awhile, the people were finally able to return home to Fatumnasi at about 5 pm. Not long afterwards, a group of police (not traffic police) tried to hold up the vehicle that had carried the people, accusing the driver of breaking traffic regulations. The police let the vehicle go after a process of negotiation.
According to other information, Leta and her family are being targeted for attacks and have been threatened with murder by thugs. Several times Leta’s house has been approached and threats made that it will be burned. Leta is being held responsible for Kuanoel-Fatumnasi villagers who cased away several residents of Fatumnasi who were working for PT Tedja Sekawan.
The threats and intimidation directed at Leta and others have been reported to the police. However, up until now there has been no action by the police to respond to these reports. As a result, the thugs are increasingly brazen intimidating and attacking without fear, even committing these actions openly.
The people [who oppose the mining] are increasingly under pressure and cornered; the criminalization process against the people continues. One example is the case of Yosafat Toto (YT). YT, whose house has been used as a post by the resistance and who is a stabbing victim, now sits in jail while the thugs who committed the stabbing have not been touched at all by the law. There is other information that several others have been determined to be witnesses and are waiting for the next legal action.
The struggle of the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi Villages to recover their rights is increasingly heavy. The people must face a large wall called power with the process of intimidation and various threats that continue to increase. From whom will the people find justice???
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