Protesting villagers block Lana Harita heavy equipments
Tuesday, March 13 2001 - 04:30 AM WIB
Protesting villagers grouped in a coal cooperatives called Kopenbara blocked the way of the heavy equipments of coal mining company PT Lana Harita Indonesia in the Sungai Siring coal mining site in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, the local Kaltim Post daily reported on Tuesday.
The paper said that the villagers protested Lana Harita for leaving the cooperatives behind in the mining of the Sungai Siring coal. The paper said that the participation of Kopenbara in the mining operation was part of the conditions set by Samarinda Mayor in issuing the license for Lana Harita. The paper added that the villagers grouped in the cooperatives have a combined 5 ha of land with huge coal potential in the Sungai Siring area.
Kaltim Post said that the protesting villagers blockaded the heavy equipments from passing through the mining site, which belongs to the villagers. The protesters said they would continue the block until Lana Harita fulfill their demand.
The paper said that the situation was tensed with the local police on alert.(*)