Saengga’s people ask BP Migas to stop activities of LNG Tangguh project

Papua people from at least three clans – Simuna, Soway and Wayuri – in Saengga village, Manokwari regency in Papua Province claimed ownership to a land, where the LNG Tangguh project is located, and asked the oil and gas regulating body BP Migas to stop the activities at the project site, the Investor Daily Indonesia newspaper reported in its Friday edition.

They said the land at the project is their traditional land.

Tangguh project was jointly facilitated by state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina, BP Migas and Manokwari administration in 1990.

Tangguh project has created lot of problems, including on issue of the traditional land. It is seen as a project that has created new conflicts among the local people and inflicted more losses than the benefits, a 13-member team representing the three clans said in a statement, a copy of which was received by the Investor on Thursday.

In its statement, the team said according to the government’s report that the 50-hectare land, which is located in Tanah Merah village, was voluntarily given to the Pertamina by the villagers. The land still belong to Soway clan and it was not mentioned that the land was given to Pertamina in 1999 by Soway clan to use for the Tangguh project.

So, the notion that Simuna, Soway and Wayuri clans handed over land to Pertamina in 1999 is legally defective. Ther was no respect for our holy land, it said. (*)