Locals occupy electricity plant

Locals occupy electricity plant

MANADO, North Sulawesi: Some 400 locals of Kasuratan village
in Minahasa regency on Thursday occupied the Geothermal
Electricity plant, demanding the closure of the plant or the
relocation of local residents to other areas should the project
continue.

The locals are worried by the presence of huge drilling wells
near the village as the village is prone to earthquakes.

"If an earthquake happens, our village will suffer from
landslides because of the drilling wells," Rev. Jouke Mangare
said in a meeting with local staff of the state-owned oil and gas
company Pertamina.

A Pertamina member of staff, Abdil Hasibuan, admitted there
are problems concerning the project, saying that many of the
decisions were determined by the company's head office in
Jakarta.

In an effort to end the debate, local Pertamina staff vowed to
the locals to set up a meeting with Minister of Energy and
Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Pertamina President
Baihaqi Hakim.

The people then agreed to leave the plant. (48/dja)