Riau oil facilities on tight guard after clash with protesters

The police in Riau escalated security in major oil facilities in Dumai, some 200 kilometers from the provincial capital of Pekanbaru on Tuesday after the police clashed with local residents, who tried to occupy the state oil company's housing complex.

The situation in the oil town remained tense as self-titled commander of Free Riau, Muhammad Sabri, threatened to set fire the oil facilities as a protest against the shooting of the protesters.

At least four of the protesting residents are now being treated at the Pekanbaru police hospital for leg injuries, sustained when police fired shots to disperse a demonstration which turned violent.

Hundreds of local residents occupied state-owned oil company Pertamina's housing complex on Sunday to demand fair compensation for 1,305 hectares of land, allegedly unlawfully seized by the company. The clash, however, could not be avoided when the police tried to disperse them on Monday.

Riau police spokesman Lieut. Col. S.Pandiangan said that police had followed standard operating procedure when they attempted to disperse protesters.

"Police fired dozens of warning shots. However, protesters, who were carrying sharp weapons, did not take any notice and decided to attack the police instead," Pandiangan told reporters.

He denied reports that the wounded protesters remain in a critical condition and said they had only suffered slight injuries. (*)