Eras Poke

NTT Issues to Be Part of President’s Visit to Australia

Kupang. People smuggling, the pollution of the Timor Sea, border issues and investment opportunities in eastern Indonesia are all topics East Nusa Tenggara Governor Frans Lebu Raya wants to discuss with Australian officials. If he gets the chance.

Frans Salem, secretary of the province, confirmed in Kupang on Thursday that the governor would join President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at a forum to be convened during his second state visit to Australia next week.

Salem admitted, however, that it was unclear whether Lebu Raya would get the opportunity to speak at the forum.

He said the provincial government had been asked to prepare material about the pollution in the Timor Sea, border concerns, people smuggling and enhanced cooperation between Australia and the province, which remains one of Indonesia’s poorest, often beset by food shortages and famines in its more isolated areas.

The central government had previously stated that it would seek compensation from Australia for environmental damage in the Timor Sea caused by a leak at the Montara well, which is said to have spewed at least 500 million liters of oil into the sea over a 10-week period before it was successfully plugged late last year.

Speaking on Thursday, Thobias Uly, head of Raijua Sabu subdistrict, said the massive oil spill from the well operated by PTTEP Australasia had led to the total destruction of the seaweed aquaculture industry.

Thobias said in normal circumstances, damage from disease caused losses to some of the seaweed crops, but after the oil leak, all the crops in the subdistrict had been destroyed.

Salem said the governor would outline a number of business opportunities in NTT that may attract Australian investment and businessmen.

“He and some local officials were invited by the president to accompany him to Australia. So this is an opportunity for the governor to explain the many business opportunities that NTT offers, like the salt business, agriculture and livestock,” Salem said.

East and West Nusa Tenggara are also favored transit points for refugees from predominantly Asian nations attempting to find better lives in Australia, often with fatal consequences.

West Nusa Tenggara Police on Thursday detained 67 Afghans who were staying illegally near the coast in East Lombok district where they had been waiting for a boat to travel to Australia, Antara reported.

The police rounded up the immigrants on Wednesday and were now waiting for UNHCR and International Organization for Migration representatives to process them, a police spokesman said.