Residents from Muara Rupit district, Musi Rawas regency in South Sumatra were continuing to block the Trans-Sumatra Highway on Tuesday following bloody clashes with the police, in which four people were shot dead.

Clashes were sparked on Monday by the road blockade, which was held in protest over the absence of a clear program on the government's plan to establish a new regency ' North Musi Rawas. Their action caused severe traffic jams along the highway, which links South Sumatra and Jambi.

The clashes broke out at around 8:30 p.m. on Monday evening when the police tried to open the blockade. Some angry protesters pelted police officers with rocks and the police responded by shooting at them with live ammunition.

The four protesters killed during the confrontation have been identified as Fadila, 45; Suharto, 17; Matdo, 50; and Rinto, 17. Scores of others were injured and are being treated at local hospitals.

One of the Muara Rupit residents, M Suud, said many more locals had come from several villages in the district vowing to continue to block the road in protest at the police's brutal handling of the incident.

'We are still blocking the highway, although only to buses and trucks; private cars are allowed to go through,' Suud said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He added that they would not become anarchic or violent (during the blockade) [...] they merely expected the police to take responsibility for the deaths they had caused. (nai)

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