Kedung Ombo farmers excel

Kedung Ombo farmers excel

BENGKULU, Bengkulu: Central Javanese farmers from Kedung Ombo
who were resettled here have been nominated to win this year's
national award as role model transmigrants.

The 206 families from Kedung Ombo, who are now working the
land in Seluma Kiri Transmigration Site in southern Bengkulu,
have been nominated for the award because they excel over
transmigrants from other areas, the Antara news agency said.

Ragil Sugiman, the chief of the Bengkulu Transmigration
Office, said the farmers had a better understanding of the way
the local government is run, a higher sense of discipline, and
are diligent tilling the land.

Kedung Ombo became infamous when some 60,000 families were
displaced by the construction of the Kedung Ombo reservoir. The
ensuing dispute became a controversy which resurfaced throughout
the mid-1980s when some of the farmers resisted and fought for
better compensation. Eventually, most of the farmers agreed to
resettle, some joining the government's transmigration program.
(emb)