W. Java villagers stage demonstration, demand compensation from Pertamina
Friday, June 7 2002 - 03:09 AM WIB
Around 100 villagers on Thursday staged a protest rally at the Bekasi regency legislative council in West Java demanding compensation from state oil and gas company Pertamina.
The people who came from Kedungjaya village claimed that they deserved 10 percent of the Rp7 billion (US$=Rp8980) annually received by the Bekasi administration from Pertamina.
The 10 percent portion was to compensate for the adverse environmental impacts of Pertamina?s exploration activities in Kedungjaya, the villagers said.
The villagers also demanded the Bekasi administration to improve roads in their area.
They threatened to continue their protest rallies and blockade Pertamina?s exploration wells in Kedungjaya if their demand was not fulfilled.
Pertamina started oil exploration in Kedungjaya, near Jakarta, in 1999. (*)