Farmers occupy protected forest

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: At least 240 farm families from a resettlement site in Kendari have returned to the protected forest on Mount Popilaya and Mount Wolasi they left in the 1960s.

The forest is known as the source of water used to irrigate thousands of hectares of agricultural land in Ponggaluku subdistrict.

Chief of the Laiwoi Selatan forestry office La Ndimasa said yesterday the authorities had not taken any action against the villagers.

"But we hope the people understand that the area is protected so that it can retain its function as the water source for thousands of hectares of rice fields," he told Antara.

He said the villagers returned to the protected forests after they sold the property the government had provided them for free when they were resettled in the 1960s.

Antara reported that in the forests, the villagers had set up makeshift huts on either side of a main road.

"About 100 families have resettled here and another 140 will follow," said Doni, one of the farmers' leaders. (pan)