Villagers protest lack of compensation by developer<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 150 Babakan Madang villagers in Bogor
\nprotested at Bogor City Council Thursday against the clearance of
\ntheir farm lands by a developer without any reasonable
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
The villagers were upset about their lands being valued far
\nbelow market prices.<\/p>\n
The developer -- PT Suris Adi Jalesveva -- offered only Rp
\n3,700 (US$1.51) per square meter as compared to market prices of
\nbetween Rp 20,000 and Rp 25,000, the Antara news agency reported
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
The developer was licensed to develop 200 hectares of the area
\ninto a housing complex, the villagers said.<\/p>\n
Farmers sold 40 hectares of the development area, reportedly
\nafter they were forced by officials of district and subdistrict
\noffices, the news agency said.<\/p>\n
They said other villagers turned down the offer and demanded
\nthe developer to raise compensation in line with existing market
\nprices.<\/p>\n
\"If the developer declines to give reasonable compensation, we
\nwill not let the firm buy our land,\" a villager said.<\/p>\n
Besides protesting low compensation, the villagers also sought
\nhelp from both the city administration and the City Council
\nbecause they claimed they were intimidated by local officials to
\naccept the offer from the developer.<\/p>\n
Musmal Sulaeman, second assistant to Bogor regency's
\nsecretary, promised to check the villagers' complaints and try to
\nsettle the case with the developer amicably.<\/p>\n
\"Help from the city administration and City Council is badly
\nneeded to help us receive reasonable compensation,\" the villagers
\nsaid. (hhr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/villagers-protest-lack-of-compensation-by-developer-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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