Clan leader demands damages

Clan leader demands damages

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: The tribal chief of Yahim will continue to press his demand until the government pays up the compensation due for his clan's land that has been turned into the Sentani airport.

The tribal chief, Yahya Fele, told Antara that he has repeatedly asked the provincial government to pay Rp 18 billion (US$8.3 million) for the 60 hectares of land that was appropriated for the airport in 1971.

"The government turns a deaf ear," he said.

He believes that his clan is the rightful owner of the land, which it has controlled since the Japanese colonial administration in the 1940s.

The current airport was developed from the airstrip that the Japanese and the Dutch occupation troops built, according to Fele.

The local government has refused to pay any compensation, arguing that the land was purchased by the Dutch colonial administration from the clan and that the property automatically went to the Indonesian government after Irian Jaya became part of Indonesia. (pan)