Migrants demand relocation

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Some 500 families living in the transmigrant area in Unpute Jaya village in Poso regency, about 200 kilometers west of here, have demanded resettlement before the June 7 general election.

One of the migrant settlers, Mastur, said over the weekend that Governor HB Paliudju promised to relocate them by May, but that did not materialize due to the slow construction project of their new settlement area in the neighboring village of Saemba- Walati.

"Our fate hangs in the balance, and it has caused anxiety among us because we have no legal right to stay here," Mastur said.

The transmigrant settlers, who came from Java, Bali and West Nusa Tenggara, were moved to Unpute Jaya village in 1993. They found out later that their settlement area was partly owned by mining company PT Inco.

Mastur said the land dispute discouraged the migrant settlers to cultivate the land.

"We want the government to issue our land certificates if they fail to relocate us by election day. We also demand Rp 40 million (US$5,300) in compensation per family if we have to leave," he said. (38)