KEM to start another negotiation with villagers today
Friday, June 23 2000 - 03:15 AM WIB
The giant gold mining firm in East Kalimantan PT Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM) is scheduled to hold another round of negotiation with the local villagers over land compensation, according to company external relations officer Kasan Mulyono.
Kasan was quoted by the local Suara Kaltim daily as saying that the talks would negotiate the compensation for the land located in the Kelian mining site.
He expected the talks to be as successful as the Wednesday negotiation which focused on the compensation for the housing property located on the acquired land.
KEM had also earlier agreed with the villagers on the compensation of land which had now become road facility to the company's mining sites.
Kasan said that the payment for the compensation of the land would start on July 12.
KEM was badly hurt when the villagers of the Kelian area blockaded the only road to the mining site to demand a better compensation for their land acquired by the company in the past.
The villagers agreed to open the road on June 9 after the company vowed to negotiate for the compensation.
The Indonesian mining sector has been hit by protest and demonstration by local villagers recently. The protest has created jitters among mining investors. (*)