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)