Rumbadi Dalle, Jakarta – A group of fishermen in Riau Islands, Sumatra, have launched a legal complaint against and demand for compensation to an Asian consortium-owned mining equipments company for disrupting the coastal ecosystem and their fishing activities.

PT SMOE Indonesia a wholly subsidiary of SMOE who is constructing an offshore drilling plats according to fishermen have polluted the coastal area, destroyed coral reefs, and scared away fishes in Tanjung Batam Island, in Riau Islands Province.

Regional authorities also said MOE Indonesia have not been granted permission for the construction.

"Its difficult for us to catch fish near the beach," a local fishermen told Tempo on Friday (5/2) while most of them do not owned the required boats to fish in deep waters. While head of Batam Municipal Environment Control Office Bapedalda Dendi Purnomo said the company have not obtained permit for the project however no measure from the regional authorities to halt the project.

They also demanded a Rp1.4 trilion compensation for 18 months of disruption to be distributed among 39 fishermen. The fishermen were represented by a local law firm which based their measure and demand on Law No. 27 of 2007 on Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands.

A lawyer with the Ahmad Dahlan & Partner, Khaeruddin, said fishermen have decided to use legal councillor after fishermen claimed that verbal and murder threats have been sent to them to stop local fishermen from continuously exposing the dispute.

SMOE Indonesia refused to comment but said in a previous interview that the company have reclaim about 6.5 hectares of 22.3 hectares of sea planned for oil exploitation.