Subject: Local NGOs unhappy about Tangguh Environmental Impact Analysis

PRESS RELEASE

Manokwari NGO Alliance for Tangguh Advocacy 

Manokwari, 08 May 2002

Tangguh LNG Project Environmental Impact Analysis Inadequate for 
Central Commission Approval  Today, Wednesday, May 08, 2002, a hearing is being held at the 
Central AMDAL Commission in Jakarta to evaluate whether the arrangement of the documents of the Tangguh LNG project AMDAL are adequate.

It was revealed at the Papua provincial level hearing discussions of  the AMDAL on April 15, 2002, facilitated by the Papua Provincial  Environmental Impact Control Agency, that there were many significant shortcomings  that need to be reviewed, added or clarified in more detail by the 
companies and the consultants who drafted the Tangguh LNG Project's AMDAL,  environmental
management plan (RKL) and the environmental monitoring plan (RPL). Significant inadequacies strongly indicated that the companies, BP Indonesia and Pertamina, and the drafting consultants of the Tangguh  LNG project AMDAL were not serious and thorough in drafting the AMDAL, 
since: 

1. These matters are not taken seriously in the draft AMDAL document and the companies and consultants involved state that they  are >waiting for clarification of these policies while failing to address these polices.
2. Rather, significant shortcomings are evident in the Tangguh  LNG project AMDAL document draft done by the companies and consultants.
3.This is also evident again with statements that various stakeholders have participated in the process including approximately  1,600 people. Actually, there has been no true participation since 
information has not been made available to these 'consulted' communities.
4. Are the Tangguh LNG project AMDAL documents really  consultative, participative and active as stated by the company and consultants? For  the local administration (Manokwari Local Government), the documents are  not clear with many issues in the field remaining unresolved. 
5. The contrary has been done and the process has also failed  from a scientific perspective, since the process lacks data and information about the targets being researched and what is the actual case in the  field.  The company has also failed to respond satisfactorily to the communities' demands and questions and has instead acted arbitrarily  by passing the issues and concerns to the Papua provincial administration  for investigation. The Manokwari NGO Alliance for Tangguh Advocacy as a  forum of NGOs in the Manokwari region with similar visions, missions and 
values, state that we :

1. These impacts all have implications on the welfare of the  community and the survival of the natural services and productivity of the environment that the community depends upon in the Bintuni Bay area. 
2. Demand that the companies and supporters of the Tangguh LNG  project not be allowed to escape responsibility or divert responsibility regarding  the risks of disadvantaging the local community and degrading the  environment and must resolve issues and community demands in the villages that  have been impacted by the Tangguh LNG project as an effort to respect  indigenous
community rights.
3. Demand that the companies not use individual names or  organizations to verify their process when actually these organizations/individuals are  not >involved in the process.
4. Regret the responses of Satya W. Wirayudha (Vice President  Government and Public affair) and Agus Rumansra (Vice President Integrate Social Strategy) that were regarded as unprofessional and misplaced in  addressing the press release of the Manokwari NGO Alliance for Tangguh Advocacy  that should have been addressed in accordance with the right to response
mechanisms. 
5. Demand that the hearing notes of the Papua Provincial AMDAL  commission >be clarified since statements made by the Fak-Fak Community Alliance  (Perdu and Elsham) are actually statements made by the Manokwari NGO Alliance  for Tangguh Advocacy.

Manokwari, 08 May 2002

MANOKWARI NGO ALLIANCE FOR TANGGUH ADVOCACY

Yan Christian Warinussy, SH., 
Executive Director LP3BH Manokwari
ELSHAM Manokwari
For more information, please contact: Bustar Maitar, PERDU Manokwari,
Telp: 0986 211486