Unocal in East Kalimantan seeks security guarantee

Unocal Indonesia which operates major oil and gas fields in East Kalimantan has asked the local authority to protect their American workers from possible attacks from anti-America protesters in the province, Balikpapan Pos reported on Saturday.

The company?s spokesman Samsulistiyo said that the growing anti-America sentiment in the province had worried the American oil and gas company, which employs about 65 American citizens

He said that the company had formally asked the local office to protect the company?s American workers and its assets from possible attack from the anti-America protesters.

?The police has been very helpful. Along before we filed the request, the police has already arranged a special approach to ensure that the American workers can work normally,? he added.

Separately, the head of the information affair of the East Kalimantan police Suryadi Syaiful said that protecting the American citizens in the province was one of the local police?s priority. ?We will not only protect the American citizens but also the assets of the American companies in the province,? he said.

Anti-US sentiment is growing in most parts of the country as more and more people express their angry over the U.S. plan to attack Afghanistan. (*)