Residents blockade access road to Adaro coal mine

Dozens of indigenous people grouped under the Kalimantan Native Youths Movement blockaded the access road to PT Adaro Indonesia coal mine in Tabalong, South Kalimantan for five hours on Wednesday.

The protest disrupted transportation of coal from the mine to Kelanis seaport.

One of the protesters, Herli, said local people from four districts across Tabalong had been demanding that the company pay a Rp 2.5 billion fine and Rp 5 million per hectare in compensation for its operation, which they said had affected their ancestral land.

“The company has not heeded our demand. We could not stop blockading the road to make them care,” Herli said as quoted by Antara news agency.

The protesters dispersed at 1 p.m. local time after the company management agreed to hold a meeting with customary leaders to settle the dispute on Thursday.