ARCO urged to pay compensation for Irianese
Wednesday, August 30 2000 - 03:00 AM WIB
PT ARCO has been demanded to pay a compensation of Rp 2 billion to tribemen in Fakfak and Maokwari districts, Irian Jaya, where 100-hectare forests had been razed by fires allegedly caused by the company's activities in the area.
The head of the Irian Jaya mining office, Ali Rusman, urged ARCO not to delay anymore the payment of the compensation for the tribemen in Fakfak as the tribemen had filed their compensation since 1997. Any further delay in the payment of compensation could create troubles in the area.
"The Irian Jaya governor had also asked the company to materialize soon the compensation payment for the razed forests in the villages of Saengga anb Tanah Merah, in Babo subdistrict, and the village of Tomage, Otoweri and Bomberay," he said.
The forests in those villages were razed by fires when ARCO was prospecting for oil and gas in the areas. The forests have become the source of living for local people.
Meanwhile ARCO spokesman Amir Hamzah said that the disputes with tribemen in Fakfak had been settled.
"The heads of the villages whose forests were razed by fires had signed a statement that the forest fires should not be disputed anymore," he said. (*)