Migrants demand relocation

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)