Human Rights Commission asked to help solve KEM land dispute

Twenty villagers of Kelian, West Kutai regency, East Kalimantan came to the Human Rights Commission office Thursday, asking the Commission to help solve their land dispute with gold mining company PT Kelian Equatorial Mining, a subsidiary of Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto.

Jakarta-based Media Indonesia reported that the villagers, who called themselves as members of the Forum of Peace Lovers, claimed to represent 444 families living in Kelian.

The villagers told the Commission that the gold company acquired their land in 1990. It later paid compensation for the land through a non-governmental organization called the Institute for Environment and Mining Community Welfare (LKMTL) but, according to them, the amount of the compensation was too small.

Village chief Asmael, who was among the 20 villagers, said LKMTL initially acted as a witness in the negotiations between the villagers and the company. But, without the consent of the villagers, the organization later stepped further by negotiating with the gold company on the amount of compensation.

Based on the negotiation with LKMTL, the company then provided a total of Rp 60 billion in compensation.

Asmael admitted that some villagers had received the compensation but most of the villagers rejected it because they considered it was too small.

The villagers did not specify the amount of compensation they wanted.

Commission vice chairman Syamsudin promised to bring the case into discussion in the Commission but he acknowledged that the case was complicated given the fact that some villagers had received the compensation. (*)