Residents protest improper land compensation

BOGOR (JP): Dozens of Kampung Mengker residents of Sirnagalih village staged a protest at the City Council building here on Monday demanding proper compensation for their 3,500-square-meter land which was acquired by the local authority for an irrigation project.

One of the residents, Sarjam, said the case dated back to 1982 when his land, together with that of other residents, was appropriated for Rp 500 (6 US cents) per square meter.

"However, we haven't received any payment up to now," he said.

He said he once asked for the compensation when his nephew was getting married a few years ago.

"I asked the local authority to pay the compensation in the form of a bed, which was for my nephew's wedding.

"They did give me the bed, but it was later found out that it was borrowed from a local public figure, Hasanudin Ma'mur," he said.

Hasanudin later demanded that Sarjam pay for the bed, but the latter was unable to as he had not received any money from the authority.

The protesters demanded that the local authority return the 3,500-square-meter plot of land, or otherwise compensate them with the current price of Rp 40,000 per square meter.

Councillor Soleh Benyamin vowed that the council would soon summon the Jonggol district head over the matter.

Separately, on the same day, hundreds of Pasir Buncir residents of Caringin district staged a protest at the Bogor regency office demanding that their subdistrict head, Ujang Sukarya, be removed for allegedly embezzling Rp 38 million from their fees for the monthly digging of ditches.

"Every subdistrict head received Rp 38 million from the ditch digging fees over the last 20 months but the funds were never submitted to the local Community Resilience Agency (LKMD)," one of the residents, Agus Salim, said.

He said the residents had filed their demand with the regent, but to no avail. (21/ind)