Telkom to demand compensation

Telkom to demand compensation

BANDUNG (JP): State-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom
will demand compensation for all telecommunications assets it has
built in East Timor from the new administration of the riot-torn
province.

Telkom's vice president for communications Dody Amarudien said
if the compensation demand was rejected, the whole
telecommunications facilities would be removed.

"Compensation is a must because most of the facilities and
infrastructure was built with borrowed money, including loans
from the World Bank, which we have to repay," he said.

He could not disclose the total investment Telkom has so far
made in the province.

Dody said Telkom was making an inventory of all facilities and
infrastructure before deciding the compensation fee to be paid by
East Timor's future authority.

He said the telecommunications facilities which had been built
in the area included the main earth station in East Timor's
capital Dili, satellite-supporting Very Small Aperture Terminal
(VSAT) facilities at each of East Timor's 13 regencies, local and
main exchange trunks, wireless telephone lines, repeater stations
and operational vehicles.

The former Portuguese territory is presently in a state of
anarchy with killings and arson blamed on pro-Jakarta militias
following the announcement of a popular vote held last week in
favor of independence.

The poll results will be submitted for approval to members of
the People's Consultative Assembly, which will meet some time in
November. If it is approved, administration of the province will
be handed over the United Nations to pave the way for the
establishment of the new government of the new country.

Telkom and its exclusive partners in the Joint Operation
Scheme (KSO) have built approximately 14,000 wireless fixed line
units in East Timor since the province joined Indonesia in 1975,
he said.

He said Telkom has invested a lot of money to provide
telecommunications facilities for around 7,200 customers in the
province using satellite transmissions from the Palapa B2R and
Palapa B4 satellites.

The violence, arson and property damage, resulting from the
conflict, has affected telecommunication services, especially in
remote areas, according to Minister of Communications Giri
Suseno.

Giri said disruption in transmissions occurred in some remote
areas because the repeater stations in those areas were abandoned
by the frightened Telkom employees.

Dody said Telkom evacuated many of its staff from several
remote and unsafe areas, leaving a number of facilities, most of
which are repeater stations, unattended.

Telkom, however, would strive to continue providing services
in the main cities, especially Dili, he said.

He said telecommunications in Dili were so far not affected
because main facilities and infrastructure were guarded by the
military.

Telkom has evacuated half of its 127 employees, 50 of whom are
East Timorese, he said. (43/cst)