E. Java villagers to sue the police over shooting at Devon oil field
Saturday, May 4 2002 - 03:28 AM WIB
The head of the Rahayu village, Sholikhin, said in Tuban on Friday that villagers who were injured during the incident would undergo a visum et repertum so that the villagers would have a strong evidence to sue the police. "If there is no visum at repertum, the police will easily deny the charge," he said.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when the police tried to disperse the villagers who tried to occupy the oil field near the village. At least five people were suffered a shot injuries when the police opened a fire with their rubber bullet. Other 12 villagers also suffered injuries after being hit by the weapons.
The oil field, which is located within Tuban joint operating body ( JOB) is flowing some 12,000 barrels of oil per day.
Devon holds 25 percent working interest in Tuban JOB, while State oil company Pertamina and JSX listed oil company PT Medco Energi International hold 50 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
Devon is in the process of transferring its interest to PetroChina after the latter acquired the former?s upstream assets in Indonesia.
Hundreds of villagers blocked a leading road to the oil complex of Devon in the area on Wednesday after the company refused to meet their compensation demand. Some of the villagers had put up tents inside the oil complex and refused to leave the area until the company gave them the compensation payment.
According to Kompas, the villagers demanded Devon, which has operated the oil field since 1997, to pay a compensation payment of Rp 20,000 per person for the air pollution caused by the company?s operation. The villagers also demanded the company to pay Rp 100 million per month for the village development, and provide more jobs for local workers. (*)