Angry residents threaten to destroy PGN gas pipelines

At least 150 residents representing nine villages in West Tanjab regency, South Sumatera have threatened to destroy the pipelines of PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN), if the later refused to pay a fair compensation to the villagers, Sriwijaya Pos reported from Palembang on Tuesday.

The protesting villagers said on Friday that they had given the company until Saturday afternoon to clarify their response to their demand, or the company's pipelines passing their villages would be broken down.

The villagers, who had stayed for two days in the company's parking area, read out their ultimatum in a meeting with the company's management. "The company should first settle the compensation before offering a number of partnership program with the villages," Fauzi, one of the villagers, told the management when one of the company's executives offered a partnership program as the solution of the dispute.

The villagers protested the company's management over the unfair payment of the compensation for the land used for the company's pipelines. According to media reports, the company only paid a small part of over Rp 1 billion as compensation for the construction of the gas pipelines passing the nine villages.

The villagers demanded the payment of the rest and threatened to bring those who were involved in the corruption to the court if the company did not meet their demand at the set deadline. (*)