Loggers cancel demonstration

PANGKALAN BUN, C. Kalimantan: Thousands of traditional loggers here canceled Saturday their plan to stage a demonstration at the local legislative assembly building over the government policy on logging, Antara reported.

The loggers dispersed after security authorities picked up four people believed to be the mastermind of the aborted demonstration.

The traditional loggers demanded that the local government abolish the monopoly on certain forestry companies holding permits to auction illegal wood, give compensation to traditional loggers who had their wood confiscated, and issue a wood exploitation permit to a local upstream timber estate.

On Dec. 26, wood truck drivers staged a demonstration in protest against illegal levies imposed on them. (swe)