Villagers blockade coal mining company
Thursday, July 5 2001 - 02:57 AM WIB
Around 50 villagers of the Bakungan area in Loa Janan district, East Kalimantan, blockaded on Wednesday the operation of coal mining company PT Anugerah Bara Kaltim (ABK) in protest over air pollution, the local Kaltim Post daily reported.
The paper said that the villagers blockaded ABK?s road, causing its trucks to be unable to transport coal.
The paper said that the villagers had already started the protest since Monday. In addition to the air pollution issue, the villagers also demanded the company to fully pay compensation for the villagers land acquired by the company, and to employ local people.
The company could not reach any compromise with the protesting villagers as its top officials were still away, Kaltim Post said.
The villagers vowed to continue their blockade until the company settle their demands.(*)