Anti-Indo Muro Kencana villagers occupy council

Hundreds of villagers of three districts of Murung, Tanah Siang and Permata Intan, in North Barito regency, Central Kalimantan occupied on Thursday the regency's council to protest the regency's efforts to stop their occupation of the gold mines of PT Indo Muro Kencana (IMK), Kapos daily reported.

The villagers who claimed to be the members of the People's Mining Action Committee, demanded the regent revoke the written announcement he issued on March 28 outlining the regency's plan to stop the occupation of the gold mine.

They also demanded all security officers pull out of the occupied gold mine and the regency acknowledge the rights of the villagers to the gold mine.

They said they would not leave the council's building unless all the demands were fulfilled.

Thousands of villagers have been occupying IMK's gold mine for about one year, claiming that the land belonged to their ancestors and the company has not yet paid full compensation for the land. (*)