JAKARTA: About 4,000 tobacco farmers from across Central Java left for Jakarta on Sunday to stage a demonstration rejecting a government plan to issue a regulation on measures to curb the adverse effects of tobacco products as an addictive substance.
They left Temanggung, one of the most productive tobacco producing regions in Indonesia, on 73 buses, kompas.com reported.
They are worried that the legislation threatens their livelihood.
Nurtantio Wisnu Brata, chairman of the Central Java chapter of Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI), said the farmers, from the regencies of Klaten, Kendal, Wonosobo, Magelang, Boyolali and Temanggung, would stage demonstrations at the House of Representatives, the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and the Health Ministry.
Nurtantio said that even more farmers were set to join the rallies, but the number was cut to simplify control and security arrangement.
He said the demonstrations were funded by the farmers themselves out of their concern for their livelihoods. - JP
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