BOGOR, Indonesia - Indonesian police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who blocked roads and set buildings ablaze in protest against a new garbage processing centre in their neighbourhood.
Five people were hit by rubber bullets as stone-throwing residents took to the streets to stop a trial run of the new garbage centre near Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, since they don't want garbage trucks passing through their neighbourhood.
"After police carried out several warning procedures, the mob kept on advancing and burning things, so we had to use rubber bullets," said national police spokesman Paiman.
"There are five victims who are now being treated in the hospital," he said.
Paiman said police detained several people for questioning after police vehicles were damaged and motorcycles set on fire.
Public resistance has plagued the modern garbage disposal and recycling centre in Klapanunggal district, located between Jakarta and its southern satellite city of Bogor, since its construction began in 2002.
Last year police used batons to disperse a crowd that tried to halt construction of the dump, designed to take in waste from Jakarta.
(Reporting by Dadang Tri and Emmy Zumaidar, writing by Achmad Sukarsono, editing by Jerry Norton)
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
