Activists prepare class action on Unocal
Thursday, October 12 2000 - 08:30 AM WIB
Several non-governmental organizations will take a class action on energy company Unocal Indonesia Company if the company refuses to compensate the villagers of Marangkayu, East Kalimantan for the alleged pollution caused by the company on their farmland.
Zen Smith, a lawyer grouped in the People Mining Advocacy (TATR), told Petromindo.Com on Wednesday that the lawsuit would be filed by TATR together with the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) and the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) on behalf of the villagers.
They would file the lawsuit if the impending meeting between East Kalimantan's council, governor, military commander, police chief, Unocal and state oil and gas company, failed to settle the dispute between the villagers and the company, Smith said.
"If negotiations (during the meeting) hit a snag, we will take Unocal into court," Smith said.
The provincial council called on Tuesday for the meeting following the Sunday raid launched by the police to end the two-week-long blockage by the villagers of the canal used by Unocal to transport its logistical supplies.
Several villagers were reportedly injured during the raid when the Brimob elite police force used rubber bullets to evict the villagers out of the canal.
The villagers occupied the canal to pressure the company to pay compensation for their farmland which they claimed had been polluted by Unocal's waste - a claim which had been repeatedly denied by Unocal and several independent environmental analysts.
Smith said the villagers demanded compensation for the land in Semangkok and Marangkayu appropriated by the company for its operation.
They also demanded the company restore the damaged environment in the area.
They also demanded Unocal demonstrate its social responsibilities for the local communities by asphalting the roads connecting Marangkayu with nearby villages Rapak Lama and Terusan, building bridges, alleyways, drainage system, health centers, power generation and clean water facilities in the villages.
Smith said the NGOs had yet to calculate the total fund that Unocal had to provide to meet all the demand.
Smith said the NGOs would not file a lawsuit against the East Kalimantan police for its Sunday action to end the blockage because the provincial police chief "has demonstrated responsible manner by saying he will take actions on the police officers who did not follow proper procedures in cracking down on the protesting villagers." (alex)