150 policemen deployed to protect Dumai oil facilities

The police office has deployed at least 150 of its personnel to protect PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia?s oil facilities in Dumai, one of oil producing centers in the oil rich Riau province from a possible reaction of the United States led attacks against Iraq, Riau Post reported on Wednesday.

The chief of the Dumai police office, Edi Kustoro said on Tuesday the extra protection was made to ensure that the production activities of the American joint venture company in the regency would not be affected by the growing protests against the American invasion into Iraq.

"Although the oil facilities in Dumai are not as large as those in Rumbai and Duri, they still need protection from the anti-American sentiment," he was quoted as saying.

A number of Caltex?s oil production facilities in the province have become the target of the protesters of the American attacks on Iraq. (*)