JP/5/brief

Makassar evictees bar councillors

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Some 200 protesters, mostly women accompanied by their children, barred the gates of the municipal council here on Wednesday, to protest their evictions by the city administration.

Their move left at least 15 councillors and officials unable to go home, although office hours were over.

The protesters were all recently evicted -- either from their homes in the hamlets of Lette and Panambungan, Mariso district, or from their kiosks at Soekarno-Hatta seaport.

They said the council had ignored their demand for the dismissal of Makassar Mayor Ilham Arif Sirajuddin over the evictions. --JP

;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Yogya-Waste-Raid

Leather company accused of pollution

JP/5/brief

YOGYAKARTA: Police here on Wednesday accused leather company PT Budi Makmur Jaya Murni of dumping its toxic waste into a pit in Nglengkong, Sleman regency.

Two trucks carrying 27 drums of toxic waste were seized by the local police as evidence.

Yogyakarta Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Dadang Rusli promised to take the case to court.

The raid involved activists from the Center for Environmental Studies (PSLH) and Gadjah Mada University (UGM). --JP

;JP;ASA; ANPAa..r.. Focus-Donggala-survey

JP/5/FOCUS

Donggala eyes gold, activists object

DONGGALA, Central Sulawesi: A senior official has said the Donggala administration will soon cooperate with several universities in Central Sulawesi to find out whether gold deposits exist in Malei subdistrict.

Donggala mining and energy office head Tawakkal Muhammadong said on Tuesday, a survey would be conducted as he had obtained preliminary evidence recently that traces of gold had been discovered in soil, in some parts of the subdistrict.

However, the planned survey soon drew protests from environmental activists in the province. Nasution Camang, director of the White and Red Foundation, said he would organize mass protests if the administration proceeded with its plan to commence gold mining in the subdistrict. -- JP