Residents blockade road leading to Chevron?s Rokan oil field

Dozens of villagers claimed to be members of the Rantau Bais Terpadu Farmers Group have blockaded a road leading to an oil field owned by PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) in Simpang Batang, Rantau Bais Village, Rokan Hilir Regency, Riau at Rokan PSC.

The residents demand compensation for the land that Chevron used for its oil field expansion in 2005.

BPMIGAS spokesman Elan Biantoro confirmed the villagers held blockaded the road during a rally on Monday, but he said they had made peace with Chevron.

"The rally was peaceful. Production was not affected," he said.

According to him, Chevron acquired 600 hectares of land and fully compensated the owners but the villagers claimed the firm has yet to make payment for 135 ha.

"This is because double land deeds. Chevron claimed to have fully paid for the land, but the owners of the lands insisted they haven't received the compensation," he explained.

He said BPMIGAS would not get involved in the dispute and would rather let Chevron solve the matter by itself.

"The compenstation (paid by Chevron to villers) will be counted as cost recovery," he said. (Bernard)