Land compensation protest continues in Bintan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Despite calls for calm, thousands of residents
\non the island of Bintan continued to rally on Tuesday in protest
\nof what they called the meager compensation they received for
\ntheir land.<\/p>\n
The crowd refused to leave a power plant in the Bintan Inti
\nIndustrial Estate in Lodam, North Bintan district, which they
\nhave occupied for the past three days. Hundreds of protesters
\nalso blocked an access road to the Lagoi tourist area and
\ngathered in front of the local legislature.<\/p>\n
A student activist, Rafael, told The Jakarta Post from Bintan
\nthat the protests would continue until residents' demands were
\nmet. The protesters are demanding compensation of between Rp
\n5,000 and Rp 10,000 per square meter of land which was sold to
\ntourism company PT Buana Mega Wisata. The land owners received Rp
\n100 per square meter of land in accordance with a ruling issued
\nby the regent in 1991.<\/p>\n
Rafael, from the Bandung Institute of Law, said
\nrepresentatives of the protesters had held talks with a director
\nof PT Buana Mega Wisata, identified as Gunawan, but the
\nnegotiations were deadlocked.<\/p>\n
"The company insisted that the dispute over compensation was
\nalready over because the residents had received the money. No
\nmatter who decided the price, we will keep fighting the injustice
\n(of the situation)," Rafael said.<\/p>\n
He said six people were injured by gunfire when security
\npersonnel attempted to disperse protesters on Saturday. "They
\nhave all been discharged from the hospital," Rafael said.<\/p>\n
He said at least 10 students from the Underdeveloped People's
\nDefenders group had been involved in the movement to demand
\nhigher compensation for residents since last November.<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower Bomer Pasaribu expressed concern on
\nTuesday over unrest and looting in Bintan, warning such actions
\nwould only harm the fragile investment atmosphere and tourist
\nindustry in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The minister said Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs
\nand Security Gen. Wiranto and Indonesian Military Commander Adm.
\nWidodo A.S. had pledged to restore order and enforce law in the
\nisland.<\/p>\n
"Investors' security and safety must be ensured. The incident
\nin Bintan is very worrisome," the minister said after meeting
\nwith President Abdurrahman Wahid at Bina Graha presidential
\noffice.<\/p>\n
At least five foreign companies are located in the Bintan Inti
\nIndustrial Estate, which employs more than 8,000 people.
\nAccording to data from 1997, the industrial estate was developed
\nand operated by a consortium comprising the Salim Group,
\nSingapore Technologies Industrial Corporation and Jurong Town
\nCorporation International of Singapore.<\/p>\n
Bintan is located 40 kilometers from Singapore.<\/p>\n
The protest erupted just one day after Singapore Prime
\nMinister Goh Chok Tong completed a two-day visit to Jakarta,
\nduring which he reiterated his government's interest in
\ndeveloping islands like Batam, Karimum and Bintan which are
\nlocated near Singapore.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Investment and State Enterprises Development
\nLaksamana Sukardi also deplored the protests in Bintan, and
\ncalled on residents not to act rashly but to take the matter to
\nthe courts or the local legislative council.<\/p>\n
Laksamana warned the incident would scare off Singaporean
\ninvestors and other foreign companies. "This is a state guided by
\nlaws, not Rambos," Laksamana said after opening a seminar in
\nBatam on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Riau Governor Saleh Djasit as saying it was
\ndifficult to fulfill the villagers' demand because they had been
\ncompensated for their land in a legal transaction several years
\nago.<\/p>\n
"From a sense of justice we can understand their demand, but
\nthey are just wasting time if they try to file a lawsuit," the
\ngovernor said. (prb\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/land-compensation-protest-continues-in-bintan-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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