25 Aug 2004

Kerosene shortages in Papua affect students and poor people

10:16 am on 25 August 2004

Students in the Indonesian province of Papua have protested against the severe kerosene shortage plaguing the region.

More than 100 students in the province's capital of Jayapura gathered outside the offices of state oil firm Pertamina on Tuesday to demand the company act to end the shortage, which has lasted more than two months.

They also called on Pertamina to properly explain what caused the problem.

Kerosene, which is a common cooking fuel in Indonesia, is now selling at up to 10 times its normal price in some areas, and students and the poor are especially affected by the rise.

Pertamina says supply-line problems have led to shortages of petrol and kerosene in the province