GAM threatens to disrupt ExxonMobil?s operation

The Free Aceh Movement which is much more popular called with its Indonesian acronym GAM, has threatened to disrupt activities of PT ExxonMobil Indonesia if the company goes ahead with its plan to resume operation, Koran Tempo daily reported from the troubled province on Friday.

Abu Sofyan Daud, the deputy commander of the rebel group, warned on Thursday that the security situation could get worse if ExxonMobil resumed its operation.

?The Acehnese have clearly indicated their opposition against the company?s re-operation. But if Exxon goes ahead with the plan to resume its activities, we will not be responsible for what will happen with the company,? he was quoted as saying by the daily.

According to Sofyan, the American company has so far only exploited the natural resource of the Aceh province. ?Honestly, the Acehnese get nothing from the company," he added.

He acknowledged that ExxonMobil could do every thing it wanted to protect its operation, including inviting military personnel. ?The military personnel should be immediately withdrawn from the company?s industrial compound to avoid more armed contacts,? he said.

Sofyan also appealed workers of the company to halt their activities until all the Aceh problem could be resolved. ?We will attack all the military personnel even those posted within the company?s industrial zone, so that we appeal all workers to stop their activities more victims,? he added.

Iin Arifin Takhyan, the director for upstream operation of the state owned oil and gas company Pertamina, said in Jakarta on Thursday that ExxonMobil, which closed its natural gas production in March due to security concerns, had been fully prepared to resume its operation o Friday.

?Repair works on broken pipes have been completed. There is no more reason for Exxon not to resume the operation,? he was quoted as saying by Bisnis Indonesia daily.

In the initial stage, the resumption of the gas production would be carried out on the Cluster I and II gas fields, which are located in the company?s gas block in Lhoksukon, he said.

According to Koran Tempo, the situation near and within ExxonMobil?s industrial zone has become more tense after the announcement that the company would start its activities this week. The military officials have established guard posts in every 500 meters of the company?s pipeline networks.(*)