Villagers blockade road, affecting Vico, Exspan

Hundreds of villagers in the Sungai Suluang village in Samboja sub district, Kutai regency, east Kalimantan, have blockaded a village road since Monday.

The road blockade had caused heavy vehicles of oil and gas firms PT Vico and PT Exspan to be unable to pass through, but it is not yet clear whether this would cause any disruption in their operation.

Villagers said that the road blockade was made in protest to the reluctance of the two companies to contribute in the repairing of the heavily damage village road.

"We initially hope the companies would participate in the repairing of the road, but our demand has been rejected, so we blockade the road," said one villager. (R. Amoros)