Feels betrayed by a lawyer, Banser youth group withdraws from land case with Arutmin

The Balikpapan office of the Banser militant youth group has decided to withdraw from the land case between the Sepapah villagers and coal mining company PT Arutmin.

Coordinator of the Balikpapan Banser office Abdul Madjid was quoted by the local Kaltim Post daily as saying that the decision was made after lawyer Junaidi Sugianto betrayed the youth organization.

Speaking in a press conference, Abdul recalled that Junaidi approached Banser to help the Sepapah villagers win back their land from Arutmin. Junaidi promised Banser a 10 percent commission fee.

Abdul said that Banser agreed, and the youth organization was involved in the demonstration at the Arutmin office in Balikpapan, and at the company's mining site in the Sepapah village.

But after a certain period, Banser feels betrayed after Junaidi seemed to go by himself in dealing with Arutmin, Abdul said.

"The move by Junaidi is not in favor of Banser. We think that Junaidi has not been honest with Banser. So we decided to end our relations (with Junaidi)," Abdul said.

"We had been hasty in deciding to support Junaidi, but it turns out that the fight of Junaidi to defend the Sepapah villagers is not based on consciousness," he added.(*)