Bogor residents protest over low compensation<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): Over 100 families from the Cibentang
\nvillage in Bogor, 30 km south of Jakarta, protested Monday the
\nlow compensation they would get for their properties which they
\nhave to give up to make way for an electrical installation
\nproject.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for the families, Uwan Sutiawan, said the
\nvillagers were not satisfied with the compensation they got from
\nstate electricity company PT PLN.<\/p>\n
\"We are willing to quit our property only after we receive
\nreasonable compensation,\" Uwan said.<\/p>\n
PT PLN is appropriating 91,800 square meters belonging to the
\nvillagers to build pylons to support 500 kilovolt overhead
\ncables.<\/p>\n
Uwan said the villagers had got Rp 400 million (US$170212)
\ncompensation from PT PLN compensation for their tropical fruit
\ntrees like durian and rambutan, which were the communities
\neconomic pillars, Uwan said.<\/p>\n
Uwan, who owns 30 durian trees which earn him at least Rp 7
\nmillion ($2978) a year, said the families had not yet got any
\ncompensation for their land and houses which authorities would
\nsoon demolish.<\/p>\n
He said the villagers demanded at least Rp 40,000 a square
\nmeter of land, Rp 25 million for permanent houses, Rp 12.5
\nmillion for semi-permanent houses and Rp 6.25 million for shacks.<\/p>\n
There are 22 permanent, 41 semi-permanent and 2 shacks in the
\nvillage.<\/p>\n
Sixty-five families own land and houses which will be affected
\nby the project while 37 have only land which will be affected..<\/p>\n
Head of the West Java and greater Jakarta Electricity Network
\nProject Aman Subagio Rachman was unavailable for comment.<\/p>\n
He previously said a 1992 Ministry of Mines and Energy
\nregulation stated the government did not have to compensate for
\nland and other properties where high-voltage electricity cables
\npassed.<\/p>\n
Aman said in a letter to villagers they had to leave their
\nhouses and land for their own safety.<\/p>\n
However, lawyers at the Nusantara Legal Aid Institute, who
\ngive legal council to the villagers, said the ministerial
\nregulation was not in accordance with Law No. 15 1985 on energy
\nplants.<\/p>\n
\"The law guarantees compensation for land and houses which are
\npassed by an energy plant's electricity cables. Therefore, the
\nregulation should be dropped,\" lawyer Bismo Pratonggopati said.<\/p>\n
Bismo regretted PT PLN, which awarded the contract to PT
\nBukaka, had asked the Bogor Military Command to evict the
\nvillagers.<\/p>\n
\"The military's involvement has prompted the villagers' rage,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"We have persuaded the villagers not to be reactive when the
\nmilitary officers conducted coercive operations. I told them to
\ntalk with the military officers, instead,\" Bismo said.<\/p>\n
He said the villagers were provoked by the military's presence
\nlast Friday when 11 villagers were injured in a clash with
\nsoldiers. One person was seriously wounded. An institute lawyer
\nwas also injured. (07)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bogor-residents-protest-over-low-compensation-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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