Dayak people to file a lawsuit against Police Chief
Tuesday, March 21 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
The Dayak people of the North Barito regency in Central Kalimantan will file a lawsuit against National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Rusdiharjo following the eviction of 11 Dayak people from the mining site of gold mining firm Indo Muro Kencana.
Legal expert at Walhi, a leading NGO, Chairil Syah said that the lawsuit would be filed this week.
He said that the people would also file a lawsuit against Central Kalimantan police chief and North Barito district police head.
Charil said that on March 14, some 150 police officers evicted the Dayak people from Indo Muro mining site, and in the process detained 11 people including two children. He said that four of them were still under detention.
He said that the advocacy team had sent a protest letter to the Police and demanded the police to step aside from the conflicted area.
Many have earlier occupied Indo Muro's gold mining site in North Barito regency and looted its gold reserves. There's been allegation that the looters were not only the local people but also illegal minders from outside North Barito.
But the Dayak people long accused Indo Muro of seizing their 47.9 ha land by force. Although the company had been able to get contract from the government, the people had dissatisfied.
Indo Muro is controlled by Australia's Aurora Gold. The company started the North Barito operation in 1987.
Indo Muro had earlier threatened to leave the region if the authority failed to resolve the land occupation by the illegal miners. (*)