Landslide victims sue forestry firm, government<\/p>\n
Ainur R. Sophiaan and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post,
\nSurabaya\/Bandung<\/p>\n
The families of at least 26 people who were killed in a landslide
\nthat hit the East Java town of Pacet in December last year sued
\nstate forestry firm Perhutani and the local regent for causing
\nthe tragedy and demanded Rp 781 billion (about US$87 million) in
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, families of victims also filed a lawsuit worth Rp
\n50.41 billion against Perhutani and the government over a
\nlandslide that killed 21 people in the West Java town of Garut in
\nJanuary 2002.<\/p>\n
The first class action suit was filed at the Surabaya district
\ncourt on Wednesday, said Eko Sasmito, who heads a team of 20
\nlawyers representing the families.<\/p>\n
\"We have sued Perhutani and the Mojokerto regent head,
\nAchmady, because the two are most responsible for the Mojokerto
\ntragedy,\" said Eko.<\/p>\n
A mudslide, triggered by days of heavy rain, hit a hot springs
\nresort located on the slope of Mt. Welirang in Pacet. Many of the
\nvictims were children between the ages of 4 and 10, who were
\nbathing in the pools when the flash flood buried them. Rescuers
\nrecovered the bodies of 26 victims, with 17 others still missing
\nsome three months after the incident.<\/p>\n
Eko said that Perhutani had violated the law by converting a
\nnearby protected forest into a production area.<\/p>\n
The state company could not be immediately reached for
\ncomment, but a spokesman for the company said earlier that it was
\nready to face a lawsuit.<\/p>\n
Villagers have also said a pine forest on the slope above the
\nhot springs resort had been thinned out by illegal loggers.<\/p>\n
Families are now demanding that both the Perhutani firm and
\nMojokerto regent Achmady pay families Rp 130 billion in
\ncompensation for those members lost to the disaster, Rp 51
\nbillion for those missing, Rp 400 billion for those injured, and
\nRp 200 billion for those traumatized by the incident.<\/p>\n
The East Java chapter of the Indonesian Environmental Forum
\n(Walhi) voiced support for the class action suit.<\/p>\n
\"We haven't seen any initiatives taken by the Mojokerto
\nregency nor Perhutani to help the victims and the public. And the
\nofficials just blame each other,\" said Walhi director Syafruddin
\nNgulma.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, 16 lawyers are representing nine family members in
\nsuing the Perhutani management, President Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nMinister of Forestry Mohamad Prakosa, West Java Governor R.
\nNuriana, and the Garut regent.<\/p>\n
\"Perhutani is responsible because they manage the Mandalawangi
\nForest. The president is the one who issued the permit to manage
\nthe forest to Perhutani, whereas the local government is seen as
\nhaving done nothing to protect the public from the threat of
\nlandslides,\" said one of the lawyers, Anwar Sulaeman.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, State Minister of the Environment Nabil
\nMakarim and several non-governmental organizations said they
\nwould sue those parties responsible for the series of landslides
\nand floods across the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/landslide-victims-sue-forestry-firm-government-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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