Farmers grouping holds protest demanding compensation from KPC

Around 100 East Kalimantan farmers grouped under the Bengalon Farmers United staged a protest on Wednesday in the front of the East Kutai regency administration building and the nearby local parliamentary building.

The local Kaltim Post daily said that the farmers demanded both the administration and parliament to push coal mining giant PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) to immediately provide compensation for their land acquired by the company.

They said that the government and legislators had promised to facilitate the demand, but until now the two had always tried to make delays.

Carrying banners lambasting the government, legislators, and KPC, the demonstrators nearly came into a fight with the police when the latter tried to prevent the former from entering the administration building.

Some of the farmers finally managed to meet Masli Hasan, assistant of the East Kutai regent, and a number of legislators. Masli said that the government would set up a special team to discuss and seek solution to the problem. It was not clear what the response of the farmers was.

The paper said that the protesters planned to stay overnight in the parliamentary building.(*)