Loa Tebu farmers complain to Kutai council over NGO's demand for fee

The farmers of Loa Tebu, Kutai regency, East Kalimantan complained to the regency's council over the demand of a non-governmental organization for an amount of fee for helping them to obtain compensation from coal mining company PT Tanito Harun, Suara Kaltim reported.

Loa Tebu village head Asran told the councilors that the NGO, called by the abbreviation of LP3R, had asked the 23 farmers of the village for Rp 100 million in fee after it managed to help them to gain Rp 850 million in compensation for their properties polluted by the company.

Asran, who accompanied the farmers in the hearing with the council, said the NGO had initially stated that it helped the farmers free of charge, but it later asked for Rp 100 million in fee, which is very burdensome to the 23 farmers.

The farmers ask the councilors to help settle the case.

Separately, president of LP3R Eko Mudjani regretted Asran's statement, dismissing it as a slander.

Eko said LP3R did not demand for any fee from the farmers when they came to ask for helps.

The farmers insisted they would give fee to the NGO for its helps. They first offered fifty percent of the amount of compensation, but Eko said he told the farmers the amount was too much.

The farmers then cut the fee to one third of the compensation, but Eko said LP3R would only receive the fee if all the farmers agreed upon the amount.

Eko said all the farmers later agreed on the amount in a closed meeting. (*)