Fishermen at a loss due to pollution
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung
Although compensation has been given by sugar cane factory PT Gunung Madu Plantations (GMP) to local fishermen in Lampung, the fishermen remain reluctant to go fishing due to declining fish stocks in Bandarlampung's polluted water.
They claim pollution would force them to stay home for at least the next six months.
Coordinator of the Lampung chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) Mashuri Abdullah said on Friday that the chemicals in the sugar cane fluid could spread and cause more widespread damage.
"It has not only contaminated the water near the port, but has also spread to other areas because of the changing wind direction," Mashuri said.
Pollution in the waters around Panjang seaport was first discovered on May 8. An underground pipeline distributing sugar cane fluid from PT GMP to the docked ship Paros Valleta was found to be leaking.
The pollution destroyed much of the surrounding marine life. Fishermen feared that in the next few months, they would not be able to find anymore fish.
The pollution was estimated to have killed more than 31 types of fish.
Walhi's advocacy and campaign manager Mukri Priatna said it would take at least six months to recover the polluted water.
Walhi estimated 900 tons of sugar cane fluid had leaked from the pipeline, but an official at Panjang seaport claimed it was as much as 1,500 tons.
PT GMP claimed there was only 300 tons. The widening contaminated area was because of the wind, it said.
PT GMP Financial Director Gunamarwan said the dissemination of fish eggs, known as restocking, could only be made in July after the compensation dispute had been resolved.
"We are still assessing this matter before we distribute the fish eggs," he said.
Compensation talks turned into a dispute as about 40 people pretended to be fishermen.
PT GMP, however, decided to render the compensation to 1,027 fishermen living nearby the location.
PT GMP spokesman Hapris Jawodo said the compensation was given only to fishermen living between the Hanjung area and the village of Sukaraja in South Telukbetung.
"PT GMP has provided Rp 700 million (US$77,777) compensation. To receive compensation, the fishermen have had to fulfill some requirements," Hapris said, citing ID cards and recommendations from the fishermen union and the respective village heads.
The amount of compensation has varied from Rp 900,000 to Rp 200,000 for ship owners and ship crew respectively.
Chairman of the evaluation team for the granting of the compensation, Suparmo, acknowledged that several people had pretended to be fishermen in an effort to obtain the compensation.
He said anyone unable to provide the required documents would find their claim declared fictitious.
Suparmo said there were at least 42 people who had pretended to be fishermen. "But, they would not be given compensation because they were unable to show the required documents."
A team member and local councillor, Prabawa said that if the phony fishermen insisted on asking for compensation, the team would bring the case to the police. But if they withdrew their demand, the team would not report the matter to the authorities.
"We will do that for humanitarian reasons," he added.