JAKARTA, CANBERRA LAMBASTED BY ALA OVER TIMOR SEA OIL SPILL Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Aug 26 (Antara) - The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) criticized Jakarta and Canberra, for lack of concern with the suffering of the people of East Nusatenggara caused by the oil spill in the Timor Sea. "We have just visited a fishermen community in West Timor, of East Nusatenggara to study the effects of the pollution caused by the Montana oil spill," ALA President Geraldine Collins said in a statement read here on Monday by chairman of the West Timor Concern Foundation (YPTB) Ferdi Tanoni. Colline said ALA had found evidence of extensive environmental damage caused by the big oil spill in 2009 from Montana, a Thai oil company. Colline criticized both Jakarta and Canberra for sending no officials to see the disaster besetting many villages in East Nusatenggara. ALA and YPTB have cooperated to take legal action seeking to settle the case of Timor Sea pollution through an Australian court. An explosion at the oil mill of Montana owned by PTTEP Australasia in the Atlas Block Northwest of Timor on August in 2009 caused the sea pollution. The Montana oil mill spilled not only crude oil to the sea but also poisonous lead and other chemicals hazardous to human health and sea vegetation. In its report, ALA said the death of 18 fishermen in West Timor and the destruction of seaweed, the "green gold" as the economic backbone of that region were caused by the sea pollution. "No officials from Jakarta and Canberra bothered to visit and see the scene of destruction caused by the environmental pollution," the report said. ALA said the Timor Sea incident was the worst oil spill in the history of Australia. Around 105 recommendations have been issued to prevent the impact of the disaster but no sign that Canberra has given attentions to the recommendation, it said. Collin said in the statement he called on the Australian government to provide compensation for the poor fishermen in Indonesia falling victim to the pollution of the sea. ALA said it had also found that PTTEP Australasia, a subsidiary of Montara, is now expanding operation in the Timor Sea operating the Atlas Block in northwest of Timor Sea. "We all should have our sense of responsibility for the suffering of out brother in West Timor," Collins said.***
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 06:38:55 +0000
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