Lanna Harita stops coal-mining activities due to protests from villagers

East Kalimantan-based coal mining firm PT Lanna Harita Indonesia (LHI), majority owned by Thailand?s Lanna Ignite, had stopped its mining activities since some 10 days ago following mounting protests from local villagers who accused the company of plugging drains and causing water shortage in their area, local daily Kaltim Post reported on Tuesday.

People from Seisiring and Lempake villages in Samarinda regency East Kalimantan had held demonstrations against the firm allegedly because the LHI management had ignored the fact that they had faced water shortage. The villagers accused the company of plugging area drains for its operation.

On Monday, more than one hundred people from the two villages marched to the local council and asked council members to inspect on LHI?s mining sites on the same day. But council members turned down their demand saying that they could go to the sites only on Wednesday.

Earlier, Tanah Merah villagers had demanded LHI to give them Rp320 million (US$=Rp8,900 ) in compensation for water pollution caused by its activities.

The company management said however they had yet to determine whether its activities had really polluted water in Tahan Merah. (*)