E. Kalimantan farmers stage protest rallies against KPC over land price

Around 100 farmers staged a peaceful protest rally in Sangatta, East Kalimantan on Tuesday so as to press local authorities to support them in their land dispute with coal miner PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC), local daily Kaltim Post reported.

The protesters, divided into three groups, held demonstrations at the office of East Kutai regent, the compound of the regency council (DPRD), and at an office of KPC. The people came from Bengalongan district in East Kutai regency.

They complained that KPC had refused to increase the price of land they had surrendered to the company at only Rp100 (US$=Rp9,200) per sq meter.

Regency secretary Rudy Basrun said on Tuesday they had repeatedly urged KPC to increase the price of the Bengalongan people?s land, and that the company management had refused to do so.

KPC, Indonesia?s most profitable coal mining firm, operates a huge coalmine in Sangatta in East Kutai. It is equally owned by world energy and mining giants BP Plc and Rio Tinto. (*)