T

he Langkat Police in North Sumatra officially detained 37 fishermen on Thursday as suspects in the torching of a fishing trawler and the vandalizing of Langkat Police headquarters.

The suspects were currently detained at the North Sumatra Police headquarters in Medan for interrogation, said Langkat Police deputy chief Comr. Safwan Khayat. He added the transfer was aimed at heading off reprisal attacks by hundreds of the fishermen’s colleagues.

“We were concerned that the incident would recur if the suspects were detained at Langkat Police headquarters. They would return and demand the police release their colleagues. That’s why we transferred them to the North Sumatra Police headquarters,” Safwan told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Hundreds of fishermen and various societal elements attacked Langkat Police station on Tuesday afternoon, demanding the immediate release of 22 fishermen being detained at the station.

The fishermen were arrested for their alleged involvement in setting fire to a deep-water trawler owned by an entrepreneur operating in Langkat.

Safwan said that when the crowd arrived at the police station, he engaged in a dialogue with the fishermen’s representatives to find a solution.

He added that the police could only free the detainees if the trawler’s owner was willing to withdraw the complaint. Safwan said police would also make sure deep trawlers were banned from operating and that the local fishery agency had to revoke all trawler permits for waters off Langkat.

“We had formulated 99 percent of the solution, but suddenly a group of people attacked the Langkat Police station,” Safwan said, adding that six police officers were injured and a security post and two motorcycles were vandalized in the attack.

Safwan added the police had detained 15 provocateurs in the attack.

“We have held the 15 people, so the total number of people held is 37, 22 of whom are suspects involved in setting fire to the trawler,” he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Association (KNTI) president Tajuddin Hasibuan said on Thursday his group regretted the police’s repressive action, especially when arresting the fishermen who were working to curb trawlers operating off Langkat.

He said the police should have supported the fishermen who were keeping trawlers from operating because the state banned the operation of deep trawlers as they could harm the livelihoods of traditional fishermen. He added a fisherman was killed and another had gone missing after their boat was hit by the trawler.

“Why hasn’t the owner of the banned trawler that hit the fishing boat been arrested? This is not fair.”