Villagers protest lack of compensation by developer

Villagers protest lack of compensation by developer

JAKARTA (JP): About 150 Babakan Madang villagers in Bogor protested at Bogor City Council Thursday against the clearance of their farm lands by a developer without any reasonable compensation.

The villagers were upset about their lands being valued far below market prices.

The developer -- PT Suris Adi Jalesveva -- offered only Rp 3,700 (US$1.51) per square meter as compared to market prices of between Rp 20,000 and Rp 25,000, the Antara news agency reported yesterday.

The developer was licensed to develop 200 hectares of the area into a housing complex, the villagers said.

Farmers sold 40 hectares of the development area, reportedly after they were forced by officials of district and subdistrict offices, the news agency said.

They said other villagers turned down the offer and demanded the developer to raise compensation in line with existing market prices.

"If the developer declines to give reasonable compensation, we will not let the firm buy our land," a villager said.

Besides protesting low compensation, the villagers also sought help from both the city administration and the City Council because they claimed they were intimidated by local officials to accept the offer from the developer.

Musmal Sulaeman, second assistant to Bogor regency's secretary, promised to check the villagers' complaints and try to settle the case with the developer amicably.

"Help from the city administration and City Council is badly needed to help us receive reasonable compensation," the villagers said. (hhr)