Chaidir Anwar Tanjung/GB Detik, Pekanbaru – Negotiations with angry locals continue to produce few results at Caltexs Riau operations in Sumatra and four vehicles owned by the company have again been seized. Meanwhile, a member of the Riau government has called on the company to give some ground and for locals to control themselves, fearing the fields may go up in flames.

Villagers from the Sungai Rangau area, Bengkalis, Riau Province, Sumatra, halted operations completely earlier in the month (9/10/2000) at oilfields owned by international mining giant Caltex. The trouble started when around 70 locals demanded to be employed by the company or their contractors. After their demands went unheeded, they then seized 37 vehicles. Other locals joined the protest action and eventually occupied five oilfields and halted operations altogether at a cost of Rp 2 billion per day per oilfield.

In negotiations brokered by the police, Caltex agreed to employ 75 locals. However, Caltexs Public Relations officer, Poedyo Oetomo, later announced that they would be reviewing the decision. "Because, in that meeting, we felt under pressure, so we cancelled the resulting agreement. We will renegotiate to solve the problems," said Poedyo after the session.

Speaking with Detik Wednesday, Poedyo said four vehicles were being hostaged by the locals and admitted that the negotiations had yet to reach a solution to the stand-off. "We continue to endeavor to carry out negotiations. Indeed, up until now, there has yet to be agreement by the two sides," he said.

Meanwhile, Drs Mukni, a member of the Riau Provincial Legislative Council, has urged the company to give a little ground in the stand off. "Without some one giving a little, its impossible to reach agreement. Caltex, hopefully also will not be obstinate in rejecting the demands of the people. Anarchy will be the end result," he said.

On the other hand, he also called on the locals to restrain themselves and wished to remind them that if the oil fields were set alight, the local community would suffer the most.

"If the negotiations go ahead and those involved are angry, having the negotiations would be useless. Moreover, why have the peoples requests been reject asap by Caltex. This is the same as triggering a long conflict," he added.

Drs Mukni also admitted that the company would have to rethink its policies on employment and human resources development if it were to employ locals. In the past, even the labourers were brought in from other areas. "If Caltex genuinely wanted to help the people of Riau, from the start it should have helped with human resources amongst the locals. At the very least, with that help, the locals could have worked [as laborers] at Caltex," he said adding that he believed the majority of those requesting work as laborers and security officers were not prepared for the work.

Mukni then explained that there was a strong feeling that Caltex had been very closed off during its operations and that the school established near the fields was exclusively for the children of employees. "We admit that, since reformasi went ahead, they have helped but the results have not been satisfactory," he concluded.