Projetu Refinaria no Petro-Kimíka: Mega Projetu ka Mega Ameasa?

Foto: La'o Hamutuk

Fundasaun Mahein, 18 Setembru 2013

Komunikadu Imprenza

Liu husi Mahein Nia Lian Nú 58 (Relatoriu kompletu versaun Tetum,pdf) (English Version) halo analiza klean kona-bá dezafiu mega projetu Refinaria no Petro-Kímíka inklui Nova Betano ne’ebé IV Governu introduz ona iha iha Planu Estratéjiku Dezenvolvimentu Nasional – PEDN. Governu rasik liu husi ekipa konjunta Inter-ministrial hahú ona halo estudu teste ba rai inklui konsulta ho komunidade iha Betano hodi esplika kona-bá polítika implementasaun mega projetu refere. Maibe projetu nasional ne’e rasik indika katak sei hamosu impaktu sosial, ambiental no kultural ne’ebé nu’udar tentativa ida ba estabilidade Timor-Leste nian.

Tanba area projetu Refinaria, Petro-Kimika no Nova Betano sei estraga rai produtivu ba agrikula inklui fo impaktu ba plantasaun, ai-horis, fatin hakiak animal inklui natar no to’os komunidade Suku Betano nian. Maske Governu halao ona sosializasaun kona-bá projeitu Refinaria no Nova Betano maibe hatudu deit liu husi “slide show” deit no laiha esplikasaun klaru kona-bá impaktu ne’ebé maka komunidade sira enfrenta wainhira projeitu ne’e implementa. Parte seluk komunidade afeitadu sira mos preoukupa kona-bá kompensasaun ba sira nia rai, plantasaun, ai-horis inklui natar no to’os iha futuru, komunidade tauk lakon sira sira nia diretu ba kompensasaun tanba esperensia hatudu iha sentral eletrika Betano Governu fase liman no kompañia maka fo kompensasaun.

Nune’e mos kestaun realokasaun ne’ebé tuir planu Governu sei muda sai komunidade ba foho lolon, maizumenus kilometru 2 ka 5 husi area projetu Refinaria no Petro-Kimíka ho razaun ba kesatun ameasa husi polusaun no sohar kimíku nian. Maibe, komunidade sira dehan katak sei lakohi muda ba foho lolon tanba sira labele kontinua halo atividade agrikula hodi sustenta sira nia moris. Asuntu seluk ne’ebé mos konsidera nu’udar tentativa ida ba estabilidade nasional maka kona-bá kampu traballu no Nova Betano.

Komunidade sira husu ba Governu fo konsiderasaun ba traballador lokal, partikularmente komunidade Betano tanba esperensia projetu Sentral Eletrika Betano maioria traballador husi nasaun Indonezia. Ida ne’e bele hamosu konflitu entre traballdor lokal no estranjeirus nomos kompañia ne’ebé bele fo impaktu ba estabilidade nasional. Sorin seluk maka kestaun Nova Betano ne’ebé komunidade afeitadu sira hotu hakarak hela iha sidade foun ida ne’e. Governu rasik laiha esplikasaun klaru se maka merese atu hela iha Nova Betano. Fundasaun Mahein husu Governu atu esplika klean ba komunidade atu nune’e labele hamosu dekontentementu komunidade ne’ebé bele prejudika establidade rai laran.

Fundasaun Mahein nia Rekomendasaun:

1. Rekomenda ba Ministériu Petroliu no Rekursu Naturais no Timor Gap atu halo sosializasaun kelan ba komunidade sira antes implementa projetu hodi esplika klaru kona ba impaktu husi projetu Refinaria no Petro-Kimíka inklui Nova Betano atu komunidade sira iha esperansa ba dezenvolvimentu refere.

2. Rekomenda ba Governu liu-liu ekipa Konjunta Inter-Ministerial atu esplika klaru ba komunidade sira kona-bá indiminizasaun no kompensasaun atu nune’e wainhira implemtasaun projetu refere labele hamosu fali tensaun konflitu iha komunidade nia le’et ne’ebé akontese tiha ona ba sentral eletrika.

3. Rekomenda ba Governu liu husi Ministériu Petroliu no Rekursu Minarais atu kria akordu kontratu ho komunidade ne’ebé legalizadu nu’udar Governu no ba ninia komunidade atu evita tensaun konflitu ba jerasaun sira iha futuru.

Atu hatene kle’an liu konaba asuntu ne’e bele kontaktu:

Nélson Belo,
Direktor Fundasaun Mahein
Web: www.fundasaunmahein.org
Email: direktor.mahein@gmail.com
Tlp: +670 7737 4222

Fundasaun Mahein, 2013, September 18

Press Release

Refinery Project and Petrochemicals: Major Development or Major Threat?

Mahein Nia Lian report No. 58 analyzes the government’s plan to implement a refinery project and petrochemical clinic in the village of Betano, as outlined in the government’s National Development Strategy Plan- NDSP. Various government ministries have collaborated to begin soil testing and the Nova Betano community has been consulted for advice on producing state policy in coordination with the implementation of this large-scale project. They have successfully identified the various social, environmental, and cultural impacts stemming from this project that could negatively affect the community.

The refinery project and Nova Betano development will produce devastating environmental consequences. Agricultural activity in the area will be severely hurt, and plantations, crops, and animals will all be affected. The government’s socialization efforts regarding the refinery have included only a slide show presentation that failed to give substantive details about the foreseeable impacts of the project. The community is also concerned about government compensation payments for land taken from community members. Community members are particularly skeptical of government promises following the installation of a Central Electricity complex in Betano; the government failed to compensate the community after claiming it would.

There are also concerns regarding the government’s plan to re-locate community members to a hill area 2-5 kilometers from the area of the refinery project. The government claims that the air pollution caused by chemicals from the refinery poses a threat to their health. However, community members have resisted this proposal, stating that moving to the hill is unsustainable for them as they would not be able to plant crops and conduct their agricultural activities in that location.

Another concern is how the employment opportunities at the refinery and Nova Betano will be handled. The Betano community has requested that the government utilize local labor for this project, and not hire the majority of laborers from Indonesia as was done during the previous construction of the Central Electricity complex in Betano. If not addressed, this situation has the potential to escalate into conflict between locals and foreign laborers. Fundasaun Mahein’s final concern regards the creation of the Nova Betano community, which will be comprised of foreign workers and laborers. Fundasaun Mahein urges the government to provide an explanation to the community of who will be living in Nova Betano and for how long. In this way, community members can be prepared for future developments and conflict will be avoided.

Recommendations from Fundasaun Mahein:

1. Recommend to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and Timor Gas to conduct visible socialization projects within the community before implementing the project. These efforts should include informing the community with details about the expected impact from the refinery project and petrochemicals as well as Nova Betano on the area.

2. Recommend cooperation between government ministries to reach out to the community and explain how and when they will be compensated. An agreement should be reached and recorded to avoid potential conflict during the project’s implementation.

3. Recommended to government, particularly the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, to sign a contract with the community to legalize the government action in their community to avoid tension or conflict in the future.

For more information please contac:
Nélson Belo
Director Fundasaun Mahein
Website: www.fundasaunmahein.org
Email : nelson@fundasaunmahein.org
Tlf. : +(670) 7737 422