Residents block road in Jimbaran

JIMBARAN, Bali: Local residents blocked the road leading to the Four Seasons and The Ritz Carlton in Jimbaran, some 25 kilometers south of Bali capital's Denpasar, on Saturday, demanding compensation for the land taken up by it.

The disgruntled residents started to unload a truck of stones at 8.00 p.m. local time onto the three-meter wide road.

The land allegedly belongs to eight families, consisting of 69 people. They said they wanted the hotels to employ their relatives as compensation.

A policeman said the lingering problem started in 1991.

"First of all the eight families provided their land for tribespeople who wanted to go to the Muaya temple. When opened, the hotels used the road without asking permission from the eight families," the officer, who asked for anonymity, said.

"The hotels sent only their security guard chief, who has no decision making authority, to talk to the residents. The general manager or the owners should have met with the residents over the matter," he said. (zen/sur)