Soeharto asked to return land

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: At least 250 residents of Lainea district here demanded on Thursday that former president Soeharto return to them a 4,000-hectare plot of land that was confiscated illegally by cotton plantation firm PT Kapas Indah Indonesia, which was owned by late first lady Tien Soeharto.

H.B.M. Yunus, a spokesman for the residents, said the land was confiscated by the company in 1977.

"If the demand is not met, we will take the legal action by filing a lawsuit, Yunus said, adding that he had prepared several lawyers to help them recover the property.

He explained that the residents had made a similar demand for the return of their ancestral land in 1985, but this was refused by then governor H. Alala on grounds that the land was state land.

"Since then the residents were not brave enough to try to recover their land, as they realized it was impossible for them to oppose the will of a high-ranking official," Yunus was quoted by Antara as saying.

After the downfall of the New Order government, however, the residents have found the courage to demand the return of their lands, he said.