Reuters AlertNet Lite - Protest forces airport closure in eastern Indonesia

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Protest forces airport closure in eastern Indonesia

22 Aug 2007 07:21:34 GMT
Source: Reuters

JAKARTA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas and water cannon on Wednesday to disperse hundreds taking part in a protest at an airport in the eastern Indonesian province of North Maluku linked to a local political dispute, police said.

Fifteen people were injured in the protests over the exclusion of a candidate they support, a revered sultan, in the race for provincial governor, said police chief Brigadier General Mustopa.

The crowd had converged on the airport in the provincial capital, Ternate, following rumours that the head of the local election commission blamed for the candidate's failure to contest the poll was leaving for Jakarta, he said.

The airport, which only serves domestic flights, was closed and would reopen on Thursday, the police chief said.

"We tried to take persuasive measures but they responded by throwing rocks and bottles at us and vandalised the airport," Mustopa said by telephone.

He said 10 protesters and five police had been injured.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Topics

• Water

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Indonesia profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• A SLOWING HURRICANE DEAN STILL POSES THREAT FOR EASTERN MEXICO
WV - USA

• CWS situation report: Morowali and Central Sulawesi (Indonesia) floods and landslides
CWS

• Plan assisting families reflooded in North India
Plan UK

• Caritas Assists Earthquake Survivors in Peru
Caritas Internationalis

• Water woes continue for Pakistan flood victims
IFRC - Switzerland

MORE >>

Latest news

• Protest forces airport closure in eastern Indonesia

• Indonesia to build tsunami museum in Aceh

• China mine safety slammed as hopes fade for 181

• China mine safety slammed as hopes fade for 181

• ANGOLA: Clean water is scarce despite oil wealth

MORE >>

Last updated:Wed Aug 22 07:21:24 2007