Regency provides legal aid

BOGOR: The Bogor regency administration is providing legal assistance for around 300 residents of the Lulut and Leuwikaret villages in Klapa Nunggal district in their lawsuit against cement producer PT Indocement Tbk in a dispute over a 98-hectare plot of land, which is being used by the company to extract raw materials for the production of cement.

The administration's legal division head, Epi Rupali, said on Thursday that the residents claimed that the land was theirs and had filed a lawsuit at the Cibinong District Court. They demanded Indocement pay them for the land, but the company claims the land belongs to it.

"The (land) dispute has been going on for some time. The residents wanted to settle the problem out of court but Indocement declined and prefers to take the matter to court," he said.

"We have appointed the MA Marmi law firm to help the residents solve the case. They will have a meeting on Saturday to determine the charges," Epi said.

Nur, a Lulut villager, said that the residents had begun demanding money in 2001 and have met the Bogor regency councillors but no solution has been found.

"We are demanding that PT Indocement pay Rp 15,000 (US$1.77) per square meter for our land. I will keep demanding my rights until the day I die," he said.

PT Indocement could not be contacted for comment. -- JP