Tempo Interactive, Wednesday, 28 April, 2010 | 20:41 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Residents around a coal power plant in Cirebon, West Java attacked and damaged facilities of the plant in protest over sediments formed at the delta of Warudur River due to the construction of the plant.
Residents and fishermen from nearby villages set fire one motorcycle and damaged six others and smashed windows of facilities around the construction site of Kanci Power plant after contractor of the project PT Cirebon Elektrik refused to meet the protesters.
Residents said sediments in the river bed especially at the delta section have disrupt their fishing and demanded the company to restore the river bed.
The attack finally started at three pm local time as no delegate from the facility sent to talk to protesters, which also injured pChief of the Cirebon Resort Police Adjutant Senior Commissioner Sufyan Syarif.
Police deployed two companies of crowd control unit and the Mobile Brigade to control situation and Adj. Sen. Comm. Sufyan Syarif no protesters were held. Sufyan said he had contacted regent of Cirebon Dedi Supardi to settle the problem and said a meeting will be held tonight at the offcial residence of the regent between regional authorities and fishermen.
Hundreds of fishboats in Warudur river ran aground the shallow bed at the delta especially during low water debit, which terribly affects fishing.
IVANSYAH
