Bogor farmers deny land dispute

BOGOR (JP): Some 100 people claiming to be Rancamaya residents staged a sit-in on the street near 257 hectares of disputed land on Saturday, objecting to a protest by another group.

According to the protesters, the demand of the first group of demonstrators, who also claimed to be local villagers, to get back their former land could destroy their livelihood.

"Where will we all find jobs if this golf course and housing complex is closed down?" asked senior resident Odo.

Most of the residents, who work for developer PT Suryamas Duta Makmur, sat on the street near the Rancamaya Elementary School where they had displayed banners.

Some of the banners read: "Fathers, husbands, wives and sons work for the developer", "We're grassroots people, who only need rice. So don't disturb us." and "Reform, don't disturb our jobs."

The first group of protesters staged a demonstration at the Bogor mayoralty on Wednesday, claiming ownership of the land.

Two days later, nine representatives of the residents visited the National Committee on Human Rights in Jakarta to complain about the protest.

The representatives, bringing 350 residents' signatures with them, rejected the protesters' claim, saying the land dispute had been settled in 1993.

Farmers received compensation for their crops, which were cleared to make way for the establishment of the luxury housing estate and a golf course, they said.

Agus, one of the representatives, said the protesters at the Bogor mayoralty were not Rancamaya residents.

"We are not represented by them. They are liars," he told The Jakarta Post. (jun)