Talks between KEM, ex-workers turn deadlock

PT Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM) in East Kalimantan and its protesting ex-workers agreed to go to West Kutai Regent Rama A. Asia to seek a final resolution as talks between the two sides turned into a deadlock, the local Kaltim Post daily reported.

The paper quoted head of the West Kutai labor affairs office Gabriel Oktavianus as saying Tuesday that the regent was expected to arrive from a travel outside the regency within two or three days.

Four ex-workers of KEM, an affiliate of Anglo-Australia?s mining giant Rio Tinto, earlier blockaded roads leading to the company?s mining sites in a protest to demand compensation fund of around Rp 44.9 million (US$1=Rp 10,400). The protesters also hijacked fuel tankers in order to prevent transportation of fuel to KEM?s mining sites. The two-day road blockade ended after local authorities persuaded the protesters to talk their demands.

KEM has planned to close down its operation in West Kutai in 2004 due to resource depletion.(*)