Villagers protest blockade

BEKASI, West Java (JP): More than 100 residents in the Kebalen district gathered yesterday to protest a housing developer who has fenced in an 8,000-square-meter plot and blocked passage on a local road.

"The developer, PT Halim Gesit Mandiri, has blocked the road for the construction of the Taman Kebalen Indah housing estate," a community leader, Suganda, told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

He said he believed that the developer might have bought the land from unauthorized parties.

The protesters were eventually persuaded to return to their homes after the Kebalen district head, Martani, and a manager from the developer explained that the company has not bought or occupied the land.

Martani said the protest was a result of "misinformation" and admitted that he forgot to put up an announcement about the temporary fence.

The management gave its assurance that everyone would be allowed to pass through the fence whenever necessary.

Martani told the Post after the protest that the developer built the fence to protect building materials.

Martani said the land is owned by the late K.H. Noer Ali, a popular local leader. (kod)