Locals take over road

JAKARTA (JP): Villagers of Kenali Asam Bawah subdistrict in Jambi have blocked off the access road to an oil field jointly owned by state oil firm Pertamina and Canadian oil and gas firm Gulf Resources for more than a week.

Khalil, a spokesman for the locals, said the villagers had been blocking the road to pressure both companies to deliver on their promise to asphalt a 780-meter road in their village.

"We are only stopping the companies' vehicles from passing the road, but we allow other vehicles to pass," Khalil was quoted as saying by Antara on Tuesday.

He warned that the locals would continue to block the road until the companies honored their promise.

"The companies should show their social responsibility to the local people by asphalting the road," Khalil said. (03)