Lapindo Mud Victims Blockade Road
Tuesday, 19 February, 2008 | 16:43 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Sidoarjo: The victims of the Lapindo mud flow are blockading the Porong Highway today (19/2). This e was to express disappointment with the attitude of the House of Representatives (DPR) which declared the mudflow in Lapindo Brantas’ gas field as a natural event. “We’re upset. DPR can be bribed by Lapindo,” said Moh. Sholeh, a Siring resident of Porong.

Residents piled up sands and stones on the bridge which connects Porong and Gempol, Pasuruan. As a result, the Porong Highway was jammed with traffic. This is despite the fact that the road is the only main access after the Porong toll road was inundated by mud.

Not only the bridge, residents also blockaded all alternative routes. They even blocked the railway with stones. They threatened that they will continue these acts until the DPR revokes the status of natural disasters as regards the mudflow.

Most of the residents in the rally were from West Siring; Mindi, Besuki, Pejarakan and Kedung Cangkring villages, which are not yet included in the map of areas affected by the mud. The residents were concerned that if this event is declared a natural disaster, they will not receive compensation as the residents whose villages are included in the map.

(Rohman Taufiq)