Thousands protest land decree

SEMARANG: Approximately 5,000 farmers in Central Java protested here on Friday against a controversial decree on land procurement for development projects.

The protesters, from the regencies of Batang, Pekalongan, Kendal, Pati and Semarang, arrived in trucks at the Central Java National Land Agency.

They are opposed to Presidential Regulation No. 36/2005, which allows the government to take over land needed for development projects if the owners refuse the offered compensation.

"This is like what has happened to farmers in Tugurejo, Semarang and Demak. They were evicted and their ownership of their land revoked even though the question of compensation had not been settled. That is a bad precedent for us," said Saiful Umam, who chairs the Central Java Farmers Organization, which organized the protest.

He said the protesters were demanding the new decree be revised or revoked. --JP