Mar 1, 2007, 4:31 GMT
Jakarta - At least four people were killed and 20 wounded in clashes between police and protestors in the eastern Indonesian province of Central Sulawesi, local media and officials said Thursday.
The clashes occurred Wednesday when police tried to expel scores of residents who had occupied government offices in the Banggai Islands district since February 20, paralyzing public services.
The occupation was to protest a plan by local officials to move the district capital from Banggai, the main island in the group, to the nearby island of Salakan, which had been authorized by the Indonesian parliament several years ago.
It was not clear why residents opposed the plan to move the district seat, which lies 2,115 kilometres north-east of Jakarta.
The state-run Antara news agency reported that four people died either from bullet wounds or from being beaten by police officers while 14 other civilians and six policemen.
Most of the injured civilians suffered gunshot wounds.
M Nasli, the Banggai Islands district police chief, told the Jakarta-based Elshinta radio station that the situation had returned to normal Thursday morning although some government offices remained closed as angry protestors continued to occupy them.
Nasli said Wednesday's clashes began when about 500 protestors armed with sharp objects and other crude weapons attacked police who tried to retake the government offices.
'We fired warning shots into the air, but the protestors continued to hurl rocks and stones at the officers,' Nasli said.
He said two additional police companies had been sent to Banggai to help safeguard government offices and maintain security.
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