Funds For Compensation Of The Montara Case Promising Liquid December 2023

Sightings of the sea polluted by an oil spill caused by the explosion of an Oil Refinery in the Timor Sea in 2009. BETWEEN/Doc

KUPANG - Yayasan Peduli Timor Barat (YPTB) stated that Maurice Blackburn Lawyers promised that in early December 2023 the process of disbursing compensation for 15,456 seaweed farmers due to the explosion of Minara oil would be disbursed immediately. "There is already a bright spot regarding the disbursement of compensation funds for seaweed farmers in Rote, All and other areas," said YPTB Chairman Ferdi Tanoni in Kupang, Antara, Wednesday, November 29. This was conveyed after he asked for confirmation of Maurice Blackburn Lawyers who until the end of November 2023 had not provided compensation which was the right of the seaweed farmers. The IDR 918 billion compensation fund has been disbursed by a lawyer's office in Australia since May 2023. The funds should have been transferred directly to the accounts of seaweed farmers in Kupang and Rote Ndao Regencies but were delayed.. Those who received the compensation funds were seaweed farmers who were victims of marine pollution following the explosion of the Montara oil field on August 21, 2009 managed by PTTEP Australasia. Previously, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers promised tens of thousands of seaweed farmers in NTT that the disbursement process would be carried out on October 9, 2023. Funds will be directly transferred to the accounts of seaweed farmers in collaboration with Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI). However, this did not materialize. Even a number of seaweed farmers who have been waiting for compensation for 14 years were forced to wait again. "Currently, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers' lawyers are in Kupang and are finalizing and arranging the distribution of the compensation funds," he said. Ferdi firmly said that Maurice Backburn Lawyers and BRI must immediately distribute public funds coupled with interest. The disbursement process must be carried out immediately, especially since many seaweed farmers will celebrate Christmas and the New Year 2024 so that they need these compensation funds. "There is no reason for Maurice Blackburn to withhold the public's funds," added Ferdi. Daiama Village Head Heber Laorens Ferroh was contacted from Kupang, Wednesday, hoping that it would be realized as soon as possible.

"I was asked and urged to find out when the promise was realized. Hopefully, it will be realized in December," he said.