Masses destroy Pertamina's transit terminal in Padang

Masses destroyed on Saturday two buildings, security post and five vehicles owned by state-own oil Pertamina's Domestic Warehousing and Distribution Unit I in Telukkabung's fuel transit port, about 30 kilometers south of Padang. Also, two security guards, Poniran and Edwar, suffered serious injuries in their heads and backs.

After destroying those facilities, the masses were then driven away by security personnel, and 8 tanks of fuel reserves were not saved.

Based on Kompas' investigation, about 500 people from six villages around the port attacked the transit port because they felt that they were treated unfairly by Pertamina. Pertamina recruited more people from outside their areas, while people from their areas who work in Pertamina continued to decrease as some of them were fired by Pertamina. At least 10 local people working in Pertamina were fired from the company for the last two years.

The head of Pertamina's Telukkabung unit, Metro Hartawan, said the masses came to the port aboard several trucks. He acknowledged that it was social jealousy that triggered the attack.

Metro said that his party had actually recruited enough local people. Out of permanent 76 employees and 30 contract employees, about 30 percent came from Telukkabung areas.

Nevertheless, he said he would forward the demand for more employment by local people to his superior in Medan, North Sumatra.

Although the 8 tanks of fuel were saved, distribution activities were disrupted by the masses' action. "A number of areas will suffer from fuel scarcity for a certain period of time," Metro said.

Everyday, Telukkabung transit port supplies around 1.1 million liters of premium, 950,000 liters of kerosene, 1,700 liters of diesel oils, 20,000 liters of avtur to a number of areas in Sumatra, including West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, Sibolga, Gunung Sitoli and even some part of Aceh. (*)