Blockage ends at Arutmin?s coal mines

Coal mining company PT Arutmin Indonesia could now resume its operation in Satui, Tanah Laut regency, South Kalimantan after the area?s proponents of illegal mining ended their blockage, local daily Banjarmasin Post reported Thursday.

The villagers, hundreds of them, who started blocking off the access road to the coal mine at 4.30 Monday, agreed to disperse at 7 p.m. Wednesday following a negotiation involving Arutmin, the supporters of the illegal mining, the government?s anti-illegal mining team, and police, South Kalimantan police?s chief Taufiq Sugiyono said.

Taufiq however said he had yet to receive reports from his officers on the details of the agreement.

?I hope to receive the reports on the details of the agreement tomorrow,? he said.

The villagers staged the blockage to protest the crackdown by the police and the government-sponsored anti-illegal mining team on the illegal miners operating in the contract area of Arutmin.

During the crackdown, the police confiscated the heavy equipment owned by the illegal miners.

The protestors demanded the release of the confiscated heavy equipment and the freedom for the illegal miners to continue their illegal operation in Arutmin?s contract area.

They first held a rally at the local council Monday before going to Arutmin?s mine to block off the access road to the coal mine, forcing Arutmin to stop its operation.

Taufiq said he had fielded two platoons of the Brimob elite force to guard Arutmin?s operation in anticipation of new actions by the villagers. (*)