Govt urged to stop CNOOC’s operation

The authority of Pulau Seribu Island, a sea resort in the north of Jakarta, has demanded the government to stop the operation of China National Oil Offshore Corporation (CNOOC) for allegedly causing pollution in the sea water surrounding the resort islands, Koran Tempo reported on Friday.

“There should be a punishment for those who cause pollution in the area,” said Abdul Khadir, the regent of the sea resort, which consists of dozens of small islands.

He acknowledged that an investigation was still underway to find out the source of the oil spill, which has caused a serous pollution in the maritime conservation area in the resort. But he believed that CNOOC which operates offshore oil wells near the resort was the main culprit.

“The oil spills are now being cleansed by BP Migas and CNOOC,” he said. He also acknowledged that his office faced difficulties to prove that the oil spill was done by CNOOC because the investigation had not yet find where the source of the oil spill came from.

The oil spills could come from old oil pipelines operated by COOC in the area because an initial investigation conducted on about 33 tankers that passed through the Sunda Strain following the discovery of the oil spills showed no positive indication, he said. (*)