Five hospitalized for fasting strike

Five hospitalized for fasting strike

PALU, Central Sulawesi: A hunger strike by farmers and
students at the provincial legislature here continued on Monday
as five from 15 involved were rushed to hospital.

Antara reported Monday that the five demonstrators had become
unconscious after refusing food and drink for five days. They
were Kisman Datuadam, 58, Haluan Tiang, 73, Robert Balia, 53,
Evha, 24 and Karim Djamu, 25.

Last Thursday 42 peasants from Tolondo village in Batui
district went to the legislature, 650 kilometers from their
homes, demanding that members fight for their 280-hectare plot,
which they said had been expropriated by a shrimp company.

The case has dragged on for 10 years and the protesters
threatened to continue the strike until the company, PT Banggai
Sentral Shrimp, fulfilled their demands for compensation.

They said that for the land appropriated in 1989 they were
compensated Rp 30 to Rp 1,800 per square meter, and that they
were ejected forcibly. A meeting of councilors with company
management and related government offices is scheduled Wednesday.