Land available for forest squatters

Land available for forest squatters

DONGGALA, Central Sulawesi: In effort to save the environment,
the Donggala regency administration in Central Sulawesi has made
a total of 1,200 hectares of land available for 1,030 people
squatting in Dongidongi, an area in the protected Lore Lindu
National Park.

Donggala regent Nabi Bidja said on Tuesday that the squatters
must leave the park vicinity this year.

The plot at the Ntongoa valley would only be given to those
who don't have any land, he said.

"I have instructed the regency Land Agency to carefully select
squatters whom will be given land. Those who have land will not
get a new plot."

The squatters claim to be the heirs of the Dongidongi
ancestral land.

Regent Nabi said, however, that all the squatters were
residents of Donggala. "Administratively the people belong to
Donggala regency, while the Dongidongi land is located in the
Poso regency. Donggala administration is obliged to find new land
for them."

It was not clear when the squatters entered the Dongidongi
area, but the regent said that the squatters had been illegally
logging the preserved forest.

Nabi said that stern measures would be taken against those who
resisted the order to leave Dongidongi. "I have asked Donggala
and Central Sulawesi Provincial Police to take firm action
against stubborn squatters."

C. Sulawesi Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Sugianto said
that the police should be very careful before fulfilling the
regent's request. "The zoning of the park in not clear. There is
a nucleus zone, utilization zone and buffer zone. We don't know
exactly where the alleged squatters have been living. We will
take action against those entering the nucleus zone." (24/sur)