Bogor residents protest PLN line

BOGOR: Seven out of the 30 Ciseeng village residents, who went on a hunger strike here protesting a high-voltage transmission line over their homes, fainted on Thursday.

Imas, 21, one of the residents who fainted, also bled from her ears. But when she and other protesters regained their consciousness, they vowed to continue the strike until state- owned electricity company PT PLN met their demand for compensation.

The villagers are worried that radiation emanating from the line, which passes over eight villages in the regency, could harm their health.

An initial seventeen residents started the hunger strike on Monday, and by Thursday, the protesters numbered 30 as more and more peopled turned out to join the protest.

"I am used to fasting, so I can still do this. But I find it hard to breathe and I see stars. I also vomited several times," Tati said.

Yalisma, a physician from the Waluya Sejati Foundation, said the protesters were still in good condition.

Dadang, a local youth activist, said the residents had been protesting against the PLN project since 1997, but they had received no response. -- JP