Locals demand land compensation

Locals demand land compensation

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Some 50 residents of the villages of
Yahim, Ifale and Yobe in Sentani district held a rally at Sentani
Airport, demanding compensation for use of their ancestral land.

The rally caused some flight delays.

Fredrik Fele, the community leader of Yahim, told reporters
that the government had used 1,200 square meters of their
ancestral land for years without paying rent.

"We have demanded compensation several times, but there has
been no satisfying response," Fele said. "The rally was meant to
urge the Ministry of Transportation to quickly answer to our
demand."

Head of the airport, Luther Woppy, told The Jakarta Post that
his office had told the ministry about the demand and was now
waiting for a reply.

Woppy said the Indonesian government took over the area from
the Dutch government shortly after Irian Jaya became an
Indonesian province in 1963. The government built the airport on
the disputed land, he added. (eba/01)