T

he Constitutional Court has orderedthe government to force PT Lapindo Berantas to complete the payment of compensation to victims of the notorious mudflow incident in Porong, Sidoarjo.

"The bench has laid a strong legal foundation for the government to forceLapindo by any means to carry out its responsibility [to pay the compensation]to those people living within [areas on] the map of affected areas," chiefjustice Hamdan Zoelva told a press conference on Friday.

The press conference was made following what Hamdan deemed as"misunderstanding and deliberate incorrect understanding" of theruling.

Some people, including victims, understood that the payments were to be made bythe government using the state budget.

Last week, the court ruled that "the state, with its powers, should beable to guarantee and ensure the payment of the compensation to the communityin ['¦] the affected areas ['¦] by the company responsible for it".

There are reportedly two ways in which compensation will be paid. Lapindo shouldpay the victims within affected areas as outlined on the map, while thegovernment is responsible for those people outside those areas.

The ruling was made in favor of six plaintiffs who are victims of the mudflow andhave yet to receive full compensation from the company, while the othersoutside the area received funds from the government.

However, Hamdan refused to explain what kind of forcible measures thegovernment should use if Lapindo declared it was not yet able to pay the compensation.

"It is not our decision, but the government's," he said. "Thegovernment now has a strong legal basis to do it, and people's rights must notbe ignored. They deserve justice just like those who received payment from thestate budget."