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View all search resultsDozens injured in clash between PT TPL workers and indigenous group near Lake Toba
According to community representatives, 33 villagers were injured in the clash, including 18 women and one child with a disability. Fourteen people remain hospitalized because of the severity of their injuries.
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(Aliansi Tutup TPL./Handout/Aliansi Tutup TPL.)
D
ozens of people were injured following a violent clash between workers from pulp company PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) and members of the Sihaporas indigenous community near Lake Toba in North Sumatra, the latest in a string of agrarian conflicts linked to the company.
According to local residents, the confrontation began around 8 a.m. on Wednesday when approximately 200 TPL workers entered land that belongs to an indigenous community in Sihaporas Village, Simalungun Regency, roughly three kilometers from Lake Toba. Witnesses reported that the workers were equipped with wooden blocks, shields and helmets.
Tensions quickly rose as around 30 local residents attempted to block their advance and demand an explanation. The confrontation quickly turned violent.
According to community representatives, 33 villagers were injured in the clash, including 18 women and one child with a disability. Fourteen people remain hospitalized because of the severity of their injuries.
In addition to the injuries, significant property damage was also reported. The village community’s post, along with five farmer huts and four residential homes, were reportedly burned down during the clash. A pickup truck and a motorcycle belonging to local residents were also allegedly set on fire by TPL workers.
Read also: House lawmakers say Indigenous rights bill inching closer
Ompu Denata Hutabarat, 62, a resident of Sihaporas Village who was caught in the clash, recounted the harrowing experience. She said she initially fled to a neighbor’s house to seek shelter when TPL workers entered the village, but the house was set on fire.
