Farmers demand fair compensation

Farmers demand fair compensation

JEPARA, Central Java: Dozens of farmers protested to the
regency legislative council yesterday to press their demands for
higher land compensation. Their land is to be acquired for a
steam-generated power plant.

The project will have to resettle about 500 farmers. PT Gunung
Sewu, the company handling the land appropriation, is offering Rp
6,300 (US$2.8) for each square meter of land. The farmers demand
that the rate be raised to Rp 20,000.

The farmers asked the legislative council to help them seek
the higher compensation after the investor and the local
administration dismissed their demand.

"The company (PT Gunung Sewu) should stop giving us trouble if
it wants the project to proceed as expected," Sismoko, spokesman
for the protesters, told the legislators who met them.

Council speaker Romlan Saleh promised to discuss the farmers'
demand with local officials in the very near future. "We will
make it a top priority in our agenda," he said. (har/pan)