Montara Oil Spill Affects Swath of Timor Sea, Study Claims

Jakarta Globe 10 Dec 09;

Kupang. New data released by a local laboratory claims that more than a third of the Timor Sea in Indonesian maritime territory has been polluted by crude oil that leaked from an oil well in Australian waters.

“The crude oil originated from the Montara well in Atlas Block in the northwest Timor Sea that exploded on August 20,” Ferdi Tanoni said in Kupang on Thursday. Tanoni chairs the Foundation for West Timor (YPTB).

The tests, conducted by a laboratory affiliated to the chemistry department at the University of Indonesia, showed that 38.15 percent of Indonesian territory in the Timor Sea was now polluted by crude oil.

Tanoni said several samples were taken by East Nusa Tenggara fishermen from various locations in the Timor Sea on Oct. 6.

He said it was now impossible for anyone to deny the extent of the pollution and that the new evidence should spell the end of any cover-up.

“It’s all evident now,” Tanoni said. He added that there was no need for the Transportation Ministry’s Directorate General of Marine Transportation, which leads the national team managing Timor Sea pollution, to claim that there was no oil pollution.

He accused the national team of having done nothing of any significance about the 40 million liters of crude oil that were reported to have spilled into the water since the well began leaking on Aug. 21.

“The team should have identified the impact on the people living on the coastline of Timor Island, Rote Ndao and in Sabu. But they haven’t done anything,” he said.

The author of “Timor Sea Scandal: A Canberra-Jakarta Politico-Economic Barter” said the national team should have established a regional post on the instruction of the Marine Transportation Directorate.

Tanoni said he regretted the failure of the national team to compile data on the damage sustained by people on the coastline.

Furthermore, he said Indonesia should sue the Australian government and the Thailand-based well operator, PTT Exploration and Production.

He added that the lawsuit would be strengthened by the recently released data and it would begin the process of seeking damages for those affected. However, Tanoni said he was not confident that this would happen.

“I suspect that there is something behind this tragedy, something that makes the great and dignified Indonesian people unable to face Australia in demanding compensation for oil pollution in Indonesian waters,” he said.



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