Green Ecology opposes ExxonMobil?s presence in Blora

Environment organization Green Ecology has aired its opposition to the operation of American oil company ExxonMobil in Blora, Central Java, arguing that its presence in the area could create troubles like what had happened in Aceh where it has gas operations.

Green Ecology coordinator Chindi Khalis said recently the government must disallow ExxonMobil to open mining operations in Blora and in any other part of Indonesia because it only wanted to drain oil while polluting areas around its operation sites.

?The company has bad track records on the environment,? Khalis said.

She pointed to the 40,000 barrels of crude ExxonMobil had dumped in the seawaters off Akwa State, Nigeria on January 11, 1998. Its action had polluted area rivers and farmland, she added.

Also, on March 24, 1998, the company dumped 11 million barrels of cured in the Valdez seawaters in Alaska, Khalis added.

Worsely, ExxonMobil would use the military to guard its assets in Blora, and if this happened, clashes with the local people might occur, she added. (*)