In an emotional ceremony on Thursday, the President gave 260 hectares of land to more than 5,100 Central Java farmers, as part of the government’s land reform program.

Farmers in four villages in Cilacap in Central Java each received 500 square meters of land.

Symbolic land certificates were given to 10 farmers by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a ceremony at the State Palace in Bogor, West Java, to commemorate National Land Day and the 50th anniversary of the implementation of the Land Law.

The President seemed to be overcome by emotion at the event. At one point in his speech, Yudhoyono had difficulty speaking and appeared to be on the verge of tears.