Walhi, Jatam to East Kalimantan to "settle" KEM's case

Two leading environmental organizations the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) and the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) sent on Monday their teams to East Kalimantan to help settle the dispute between gold mining company PT Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM) in Long Iram district, Kutai regency and the local people.

"Our team will go later today (Monday), " Walhi's executive director Emmy Hafild said.

Jatam's national coordinator Cholid Muhammad also said his team would go along with Walhi's team.

The planned visit of the teams of both NGOs came amid reports that the local villagers had resumed actions to block the access road leading to KEM's gold mine after opening it for several days.

The villagers blocked the access road for several weeks since April 19 to pressure the company to pay land compensations. The blockade forced the company to stop operations starting April 29 due to the lack of logistical supplies

The villagers voluntarily opened the access road late last week, signaling their intention to negotiate with KEM on the land compensation.

But, the local press reported, the villagers blocked the road again on Sunday morning in protest over the company's refusal to negotiate with a non-governmental organization called the Foundation for Environment and Mining Society (LKMTL, which claimed the right to represent the villagers.

Commenting on the planned visit of the teams of Walhi and Jatam, director general of mining Surna Tjahja Djajadiningrat called on the non-governmentally organizations not to involve themselves in "destructive activities" . (*)