National

Relocation of Buyat Bay Residents Still Uncertain
Wednesday, 16 March, 2005 | 17:48 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Bolaang Mongondow:Policy over the fate of the victims of pollution in Buyat Bay still remains unclear.
The planned relocation of the residents of Buyat Village in Kotabunan sub-district, Bolaang Mongondow Regency, North Sulawesi, in particular as regards those who live in the Buyat Bay Beach area, is still not at all certain.
The residents involved, who became the subject of mass media coverage last year because of pollution caused by PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, are willing to be relocated.
“We want to move, the plan is to go to Duminanga,” said Mansur Lombonaung, a resident of Buyat Bay Beach.
Similar desires were also voiced by other residents who are hoping to be moved to this village in Bolaang Uki sub-district, Bolaang Mongondow Regency.

The plan to move to Duminanga Village has already been fixed, and three hectares of land have already been prepared by the Buyat Bay Humanity Commission (KKTB).
Unfortunately, the local government of Bolaang Mongondow Regency has rejected the plan.
“They (KKTB) did not coordinate with us and there has been no official notice about this relocation plan,” said Bolaang Mongondow Regency Secretary, Idrus Mokodompit.
However, Abdi Takalamingan, Chief of North Sulawesi KKTB, denied the statement from the of Bolaang Mongondow Regency government.
“I have already had three meetings with the Bolaang Mongondow Regent to discuss this. We have also written officially to the Regency government,” he said.

According to Mansur, a total of 69 families from the Buyat Bay Beach area have agreed to be relocated to Duminanga.
The location for the relocation has also surveyed by some of the residents with KKTB.
“We already had seen the location and as it is near to the beach, it is suitable for those of us who work as fishermen,” he said.

Since the failure of the move to Duminanga, up to now nothing has been certain about where the residents will be relocated.
The village administration has also admitted that it does not know what the plans of the government regarding the relocation area.
“Up to now nothing is certain and there has been no announcement from the local government,” said the Head of Buyat Village, Salam Ani, on Wednesday (16/3).
Salam Ani also confirmed that only residents from the Buyat Bay Beach area had asked to be relocated.
Other resident of the village, who do not live near to the beach, did not want to be relocated.
“The media reports that 200 families in this village want to be relocated are not true,” he said.

Ahmad Alheid