150 policemen deployed to end the blockade against PT KEM
Saturday, November 6 2004 - 03:10 AM WIB
The head of the West Kutai police, Nursaptono Djuhartono, confirmed about 150 police members were sent on Friday to the "conflict" area but he said that his men would first use persuasive approach to disperse about 250 protesters that had blocked the main road leading to PT KEM's mine operation since the middle of last month.
"But if we fail with persuasive approach we will try other ways to disperse the protests," he said.
Kompas daily earlier reported that at least 250 villagers had blockaded the access road leading to the mining location of PT KEM since the middle of October, demanding compensation money from the company. The blockade was the third in the month,
The residents demanded the company to pay compensation of Rp 186 billion to 500 villagers living near the mining area or Rp 367 million each, for the loss of the business opportunities resulting from the operation of PT KEM's mining activities.
In addition the villagers also demanded a compensation for the damages of the graves of their dead relatives and families. The company is required to pay Rp 100 million for the damage or each grave. The company is also required to pay a compensation for the use of their land by the company.
PT KEM, which is now in the process of closing its gold mining activities due to the depletion of the gold deposit, said that all the compensation related to the use of the villagers' property and others had been paid in 1988 before the company began its production. (*)