ExxonMobil expected to restart operations soon

ExxonMobil expected to restart operations soon

JAKARTA (JP): A meeting of the Indonesian authorities and
ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia Inc. agreed on Monday afternoon that the
U.S.-based oil firm is expected to resume its operations in Aceh
on April 2.

"Although there is no guarantee that after two weeks of troop
deployment security problems can be settled, ExxonMobil is
expected to restart its production activities on April 2 as the
country has suffered a lot financially," secretary-general of the
Ministry of Mineral Resources Djoko Darmono said after a 4.5-hour
meeting at the ministry.

He said the government and ExxonMobil have yet to calculate
the total losses since the company halted its operations on March
9.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the office of
the Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
Affairs; the Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters; the Bukit
Barisan Regional Military Command which oversees Aceh, North
Sumatra, West Sumatra and Riau provinces; the Mineral Resources
Ministry and ExxonMobil.

Djoko said that in response to ExxonMobil's request for
security assurance, the government has decided to send 2,128
troops to safeguard all ExxonMobil's vital installation sites.

Assistant for Operations to TNI Chief of General Affairs Maj.
Gen. Adam Damiri said TNI had provided security protection for
ExxonMobil's 39 vital installation sites, located in the towns of
Lhokseumawe, Lhoksukon and Pasei.

TNI spokesman Rear Marshall Graito Usodo similarly said that
there was no guarantee that the situation would return to normal.

"But, we'll do our best so that ExxonMobil can operate again,"
he said.

Graito said TNI will send one more battalion and several
armored vehicles from cavalry units in Bandung, West Java, to
safeguard ExxonMobil's installation sites.

Meanwhile, chief of the Bukit Barisan Military Command Maj.
Gen. I.G. Purnawa said the command still encountered difficulties
in maintaining security and order in Aceh because TNI's presence
in the troubled province was primarily to safeguard and prevent
any physical damage to strategic installations that could bring
their production to a halt.

Purnawa said that he had yet to receive details for the
planned limited military operation although the Cabinet had
declared GAM a separatist movement.

"TNI is currently waiting for the government's political
decision. I personally have yet to receive the order from the TNI
chief," he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D. confirmed there
will be military operations in Aceh because GAM is no longer
recognized as a movement for freedom, but the Aceh Separatist
Movement (GSA).

"A separatist organization, in legal terms, is a group of
people which has the intention of toppling a legitimate
government. So, the military operation should be seen from the
point of view of this legal stance.

Mahfud said the government has yet to announce the fixed date
for the military operations.

Back in Aceh, violence in the troubled province of Aceh has
claimed five more lives, including a policeman, officials said on
Monday.

Suspected GAM rebels shot dead police Brig. Bakri in his car
on Monday in the Krueng Cut village, Darussalam district, Banda
Aceh capital, police chief Sr. Adj. Comr. Sayed Husaini said.

The killing followed the fatal shooting of a shopkeeper by
unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle on Sunday night, also in
Banda Aceh, Sayed added.

Meanwhile, officials of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) said
the body of a man with his hands tied was found on Sunday in the
Indrapuri area of Aceh Besar district and another body found in a
drum dumped at Sungai Meureubo village in West Aceh.

The finding adds to similar murders last year where at least
five bodies were found in drums filled with cement, also in West
Aceh.

Also on Sunday, a fisherman was killed by a stray bullet
during a gunfight between police and rebels in the village of
Seuriget, East Aceh, said East Aceh police chief Sr. Adj. Comr.
Abdullah Hayati.

From the giant industrial regency of North Aceh, spokesman of
PT Arun LNG Co. Adnan N. Tusuf was quoted by Antara as saying on
Monday that "all employees of PT Arun are working as usual and no
evacuation took place."

"All administration works continue while there is one
operational gas pipeline from the previous six available," he
said.

The statement was made following the temporary closure of the
ExxonMobil plants, from where thousands of employees of the oil
firm have been evacuated out of the region.

"We (PT Arun) have around 1,200 employees and we have not yet
evacuated them due to the fact that is a lack of gas supplies
from ExxonMobil and we are continuing to produce gas from North
Sumatra offshore," Adnan said.

Meanwhile, GAM separatist commander Tengku Abdullah Syafi'ie
Dimatang said in a press statement made available to The Jakarta
Post on Monday that GAM "will comply with the security zone
agreed in a consultation meeting between both GAM and Indonesian
field commanders".

The declared zones are in Bireun and North Aceh.

"I hereby order all GAM members to obey the agreement and urge
Indonesia's security personnel not to make offensive or
provocative motions that will damage the peace effort.. we are
still progressing with dialogs to resolve Aceh's problems,"
Abdullah said in the statement.

In another development, Aceh's Commission for Missing Persons
and Victims of Violence (Kontras) rejected on Monday the planned
limited military operation in the disputed province, fearing
further negative reaction since people are still traumatized by
the previous military operation (DOM) and current day-to-day
violence.

The government and rebels have been holding peace talks in
Geneva since last year. They have signed a series of truces but
so far failed to stem violence which has left some 300 people
dead this year.

There are some 30,000 organic and non-organic security
personnel stationed in the disputed province of Aceh. (50/edt)