By FRAN RIMROD
November 11, 2009 – 10:40AM There are fears the oil that spewed from a leaking well off the West Australian coast has polluted a stretch of the Indonesian coastline, jeopardising the local fishing industry. The Greens are calling on operator PTTEP Australasia to compensate West Timorese fishing communities in West Timor if reports of oil reaching the coastline are confirmed. Greens senator Rachel Siewert said she received a DVD by the West Timor Care Foundation today that shows large patches of an oil-like substance on the water, dying fish floating in the slick and Indonesian fishermen collecting the gluggy material in water bottles. “We are suspicious it is oil from the Montara well. We are deeply concerned,” Ms Siewert said. West Timorese fishermen had stopped fishing in the area and the oil slick was threatening the livelihood of people who were already living in poverty, she said. “They are poor fishers who rely on fishing. They have stopped fishing and feeding it to their families,” Ms Siewert said. …
Timor Sea oil leak ‘threatens Indonesian coast’
