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alls for settlement to land disputes across the county had hardly died down when two groups of residents were reportedly involved in a deadly clash over a land case, leaving one dead in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra.

In Jambi, one person was also reported dead in a land-related clash.

Police personnel were deployed to Limau Mungkur village in Deli Serdang regency over fears that another possible round of clashes motivated by vendetta might follow.

The clashes on Friday afternoon were believed to be triggered by fights for cultivating rights over plots of land administratively owned by PT Perkebunan Nusantara II.

The clash that ran over into the evening also left six motorcycles vandalized.

“The police personnel have already been posted on the location to avert more clashes,” North Sumatra Police spokesman Sn. Comr. Heru Prakoso told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Heru said the clashes flared up between one group led by Yusuf Sinulingga and the other by Pendi. He identified the victim as Helvan Fauzi Nasution, 25, a member of Pendi’s group. The victim died from serious injuries on the head and arms.

The relatives fetched the corpse from Pringadi Hospital on Sunday for burial.

Heru refused to confirm queries about the cause of the clashes, saying that the police were still developing the case, for which eight people were reported to have been questioned.

The incident came a few days after mass rallies were held across the country, calling for the government to address the issue seriously.

Calls also came from House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Marzuki Alie in his visit to Palembang over the weekend.

With reference to the Sodong case, Marzuki said that any settlement to land disputes would have to put civilians’ rights in first place.

The Sodong case is a notoriously deadly incident that take place in April last year motivated by a land dispute between local people in Sodong, South Sumatra, and a plantation company.

Seven people were reported to have been killed in the incident, which came to light only when videos of mass killings were played at the House on Dec. 14, 2011.

Rahmat Shah, a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) and chairman of the agrarian draft team, deplored the Deli Serdang incident and cautioned over similar incidents with hundreds of land-related cases still unresolved in North Sumatra.

He warned against the presence of agents provocateurs who might exploit the deteriorating situation for
their own ends.

In Jambi, it was reported the land-dispute-related clash between residents and PT Lestari Asri Jaya at Tebo regency claimed one life.

But it was still unclear whether the victim was a company employee or resident.

“We have yet to ascertain whether the victim, named Leo, was from the company or village,” Jambi police spokesperson Adj. Sn. Comr. Almansyah said.

He said the police had deployed personnel to the site to bring the situation under control.

The clash took place at Balai Rajo, Tujuh Koto Ilir district, Tebo regency, on Wednesday, around the forest concessionary area owned by Lestari Asri Jaya.

The farmers set to fire the company’s office, four vehicles and 12 motorcycles. Four employees were reported to be suffering from serious wounds.

A few days before the incident, several employees bulldozed the land claimed by the farmers as theirs.

Angry, they beat up the employees. The company management reported the case to the police, but the move apparently made the farmers furious and vandalism along with the killing ensued later.