Public Works Ministry Reject Lapindo Mudflow Victims
Tuesday, 18 November, 2008 | 15:25 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Public Works Ministry cancelled a meeting with victims of Lapindo mudflow on Tuesday. No word from the ministry on the cancellation, victims said they received the cancellation on Tuesday morning, before they headed to the ministry.

Victims of Lapindo mudflow came from Sidoarjo East Java, where parts of the regency were now drowned by mudflow, to demand the remaining 80 percent of the compensation for victims.

The Public Works Ministry are one among nine ministries that make up the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Team (BPLS) formed by the Government in September 2006. The ministry presides the the team which includes other government intitutions, the National Land Agency, the regional administrations, and the regional military command.
The team have failed to stop the mudflow after two years of several attempts, putting the team on the facilitating function between Lapindo Brantas, the goverment and the victims.

The victims have protested several times in East Java and in the capital, and the latest protest in the capital was near the residence of Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, whose family controlled Lapindo Brantas through Bakrie & Brothers group.

Nur Haryanto | Wikipedia