Illegal miners return to Indo Muro Kencana
Tuesday, July 25 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
The calm at gold mining company PT Indo Muro Kencana in Central Kalimantan has proved only short-lived as the villagers, who had occupied its gold mine for one and a half year and were recently evicted by the police and local authorities, had returned to the area.
Kapos daily reported the villagers had re-occupied the company's gold mine in several villages in the North Barito regency.
Thousands of villagers occupied the company's gold mine for one and a half year, claiming the gold mine belonged to their ancestors.
Based on the presidential instruction, the paper said, the local police and authorities staged operations from May to June to evacuated the villagers and provided each family with Rp 300,000 (US$1=Rp 8,900) in transportation expenses to return to their respective villages.
Indo Muro Kencana has reportedly asked to the police and local authorities to persuade again the people to leave the gold mine.
Indo Muro is a subsidiary of Australian mining firm Aurora Gold. (*)