Emotional homecoming

Emotional homecoming

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Over 100 displaced families walked out yesterday from the provincial legislative council premises which they had occupied for 53 days.

Women shed tears in happiness and others sang songs of joy as they left the stately buildings.

They had been promised that the council would help them seek fair compensation for their property, which been developed into a plush private housing complex and a golf course.

A spokesman for the legislative council, Muhammad Abduh, said the council will soon meet with government officials to find a solution to the problem.

"We have discovered evidence that the acquisition of land was riddled with irregularities," he told the villagers. He suggested that the villagers may have been coerced into selling their land, in 1992, for a non-existent government project.

The farmers said the project developer gave them between Rp 2,000 ($0.80) and Rp 4,500 per meter, while the going market rate was Rp 20,000. (15/pan)