More land for settlers

JAKARTA: The government has succumbed to a demand by settlers from Palas, Lampung Selatan regency, to give them land which they claimed should have been given to them as far back as in 1971.

The settlers agreed to the government's offer of plots at a different settlement in the same province, Antara reported.

The agreement was reached after 51 representatives of the settlers met with Minister of Transmigration A.M. Hendropriyono at his office yesterday.

"We will give them land in the Mesuji Atas area in Lampung Utara (regency)," Hendro said.

Mulyono, a spokesman for the settlers, said some 190 settlers had not been given full land entitlement since they moved to the area in the early 1970s. (emb)