Tribalpeople threaten log firm

Tribalpeople threaten log firm

MANOKWARI, Irian Jaya: Tribespeople in Fruata village, Babo subdistrict, have threatened to forcibly stop the operations of a logging company, PT Agoda Rimba Irian, unless their demand for compensation is met.

The villagers claim that the company, a subsidiary of the Jayanti Group, has felled trees on a 16-square-kilometer area of their communal land, which lies outside its concession. They demand compensation of Rp 2 billion.

Willy Nafurbenan, a community elder, said that the illegal logging on the communal land has caused a substantial loss of forest products, the locals' livelihood, such as rattan and resin.

"We have repeatedly written to the company asking the managers to stop the illegal logging, but our requests have fallen on deaf ears," Willy told Antara.