The police in Ruweng Administrative Area on Tuesday arrested more than 20 people who came out demonstrating against companies excavating murram in the area for the non-payment of community development fees.

James Maper, the former Relief, and Rehabilitation Commission director, who was among those protesting and was arrested told Radio Tamazuj that the protests were to demand more than $2.4 million in arrears as community development fees. 

"Today (Tuesday) some youth staged peaceful protests in Yida against companies who are excavating murram to maintain roads for the oil companies in Unity oil fields and Tharjiath. The youth and the community leaders are demanding the payment of three years arrears which have been either paid to the officials in Pariang but the community has not been paid," he said. "Today (Tuesday) they have arrested 25 people including former MPs and former commissioner of the defunct Jou county and the Ruweng defunct state." 

According to Maper, the community delivered a petition to authorities demanding reforms in the management of the murram revenues two weeks ago but instead, he says the authorities arrested three people who delivered the petition.

"I am a member of the people who are demanding $ 2,465,000 from the companies and the authorities in Pariang in arrears of three years not being paid by the companies and the government from the Arec Group of companies, Bright starts, Nyakech, about 10 companies excavating murram since 2013 up to now, but we are demanding money from 2017 up to now," the former official noted.

The acting minister of information in the Ruweng Administrative Area Martin Bith confirmed that some demonstrators were arrested.

"There were youths that wanted to mount roadblocks because they were demanding money from companies excavating murram. I am not aware of the number but I know that some youth were arrested for involvement in the demonstrations," he said.

The companies, according to an earlier agreement, are expected to pay a percentage of the revenue to the local community as development fees.