Lapindo Accused of Withholding Mudflow Victims’ Certificates
Wednesday, 11 April, 2012 | 13:25 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indah Kurnia, a member of the House of Representatives’ (DPR) Finance Commission, has accused Minarak Lapindo Jaya—a subsidiary company of Lapindo Brantas—of withholding certificates belonging to mudflow victims to obtain loans from the bank. “The certificates were not given to the residents who were relocated,” Indah told TEMPO on Tuesday.

The mudflow victims whose areas were included in the affected area map have been relocated and were supposed to receive a certificate. The residents were relocated to the Kahuripan Nirwana Housing Complex in Sidoarjo as compensation.

Indah claimed that Minarak Lapindo has been unfair to the residents. “Some were given [the certificate] and some weren’t,” said the politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Residents who actively fought—sometimes by using weapons—against the unfair treatment received first priority for the certificates.

ALI NY | AKBAR TRI KURNIAWAN | ELLIZA HAMZAH