Farmers meet in Kedungombo

YOGYAKARTA: Farmers from Yogyakarta and the southern part of Central Java gathered for a regional congress in the disputed area of Kedungombo, Sragen, on Tuesday.

The congress aims at setting up the founding of a farmers' organization, an advocate of the farmers said.

Winarso of the Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute said on Monday that at least 200 farmers attended the rare event, which ends on Thursday.

"From previous meetings the farmers concluded that one answer to their many problems was to form a regional organization," Winarso said, citing land disputes with state enterprises and other parties victimizing farmers.

A prolonged dispute in Kedungombo was triggered by the eviction of whole villages to make way for a dam here.

The event is facilitated by the Institute and the Cultural Development Foundation. Popular figures, including Mustofa Bisri of the largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, is scheduled to address the gathering. (44)