T

he Lampung Police arrested Silaturahmi Forum (Forsil) leader Edi Cokro Prayitno on Monday after a meeting to resolve conflict between Forsil and PT Central Pertiwi Bahari (CPB) at the Tulangbawang Development Planning Board.

Cokro was later transferred to the Lampung Police detention center in Bandarlampung.

The arrest almost led to a riot when 599 Forsil farmers attempted to obstruct Cokro'€™s arrest. This incident has threatened peace talks between thousands of shrimp farmers and CPB and could spark further conflict at the company'€™s shrimp farm complex.

'€œCokro was willing to negotiate with the company and the Tulangbawang regency administration due to safety assurances from the latter,'€ said Bandarlampung Legal Aid Institute director Wahrul Fauzi Silalahi on Tuesday.

'€œHowever, when the meeting ended, Cokro was immediately arrested, despite the fact that the company said the negotiations would be valid if the Forsil leader attended. It was just a setup to arrest Cokro.'€

Wahrul, who legally represents Forsil, said Cokro'€™s arrest would cause further tension.

Forsil members were involved in a clash in March with a rival fish farming group that favors the company. Three men were killed and dozens of others injured in the clash with the Pro-Partnership Farming Group (P2K).

Lampung Police spokeswoman Adj. Sr. Comr. Sulistyaningsih said Cokro was arrested because he repeatedly failed to honor a summons related to the clash.

'€œCokro has been named a suspect with six other people who have been detained,'€ said Sulistyaningsih.

Forsil secretary Beni said he feared Cokro'€™s arrest would escalate the problem.

The spokesman of PT CP Prima, PT CPB'€™s parent company, George Basuki, said if Forsil members refused to collaborate, they could leave the shrimp farm.

'€œThey [Forsil farmers] are the ones causing trouble. They brought in hoodlums and caused disturbances. They should be held responsible for the clash, which claimed several lives,'€ said George.