Demonstrations In Indonesia As Thousands Face Eviction For ‘Eco-City’

Demonstrations have rocked Indonesia’s Riau Province as residents of Rempang Island protest against Government plans to evict thousands of people to make way for a multibillion-dollar Chinese-owned glass factory and ‘Eco-City’.

The dispute over the evictions has been heating up for months, after the Government announced that Rempang’s 7,500 residents would have to move inland, some 60km (37 miles) away from their coastal homes. Many make a living from the sea, selling locally caught fish, crabs, shrimp and other seafood.

But with residents now being told they have until the end of this month to leave, protests have escalated.

In recent days, demonstrators have faced off against the police and the military at a number of locations in Riau, including Rempang and Batam, the largest city in the island chain, which lies just south of Singapore.

Police, who have deployed water cannons and tear gas, have been accused of using excessive force. Dozens have been arrested.

While plans to develop Rempang have been in the works for nearly 20 years, local residents said they were only informed early in September that they would need to move out of their villages before the end of the month.

The sudden announcement shocked many residents and unleashed a new wave of protests, including last week’s rally in Rempang.

Speaking at the Presidential Palace, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said that the situation required “careful handling”.

ALJAZEERA