Walhi sues Japanese govt

Walhi sues Japanese govt

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) said Saturday that the hearing of a lawsuit against the Japanese government over alleged environmental destruction around the Kotopanjang dam, West Sumatra, would begin on July 3 in the Tokyo District Court.

Some 8,000 Kotopanjang people who were relocated due to the construction of the dam also filed a similar lawsuit.

Walhi said the development of Kotopanjang dam, which straddles the border between West Sumatra and Riau, had been completed in 1996, and had led to significant damage to local flora and fauna.

The dam was constructed with loans from the Japanese government. -- Antara