Villagers threatens PT RIFI

Villagers threatens PT RIFI

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Local residents in Kemtuk Gresy subdistrict, Jayapura Regency, have threatened to force the suspension of operations at PT RIFI, a forest concessionaire company which has refused to give them compensation for their land.

Hendrik Trapen, spokesman for residents of Banggahi, Iwon and Omon villages in the subdistrict, said the joint-venture company had to pay compensation to village residents as the vast forest area in which it operated belonged to the three villages.

He said the company, owned by the Kayu Lapis Indonesia Group, had felled millions of cubic meters of logs since 1995. Local residents, however, had not been given compensation for their land and no locals had been employed in the company.

"The company should fulfill its promise to the local people over land compensation," he said on Friday.

He warned the villagers would force company' employees to stop operations if the company failed to respond to their demand. --Antara