Beanal suit against Freeport continues<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Irianese tribal leader Tom Beanal's legal battle
\nagainst PT Freeport Indonesia and Freeport-McMoRan Copper and
\nGold Inc. is not over, the plaintiff's lawyer said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Martin E. Regan Jr. said the U.S. Eastern District Court of
\nLouisiana found that his client's claims against Freeport for
\ntribal genocide and human rights violations \"did have a legal
\nbasis\".<\/p>\n
\"However, Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. is requiring the plaintiff,
\nTom Beanal, amend his lawsuit to state with additional detail the
\nfacts underlying Freeport's human rights violations and tribal
\ngenocide,\" Regan told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Regan was responding to the District Court of Louisiana's
\nApril 9 dismissal of Freeport's motion to dismiss Beanal's
\nlawsuit in the Federal Court in New Orleans.<\/p>\n
Judge Duval rejected Beanal's finding that \"as destructive as
\nFreeport's corporate policies are to the natural habitat of
\nIndonesia, there is no definitive international environmental law
\nwhich applies to a private corporation\".<\/p>\n
But Regan said he was encouraged by the District Court's
\ndetailed ruling which allows his client to proceed against
\nFreeport for serious human rights violations and on behalf of the
\nAmungme tribespeople.<\/p>\n
\"Beanal's lawsuit against Freeport will continue,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"And we will comply with Judge Duval's instructions to provide
\na more definite statement of the factual allegations which
\nsupport our claims of tribal genocide and human rights violations
\nagainst the indigenous people of Indonesia by Freeport,\" Regan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Beanal is leader of the Amungme Tribal Council, located near
\nFreeport's mining site in Timika, and an outspoken critic of the
\ncompany.<\/p>\n
The Freeport mine in Timika, some 3,000 km (1,870 miles) east
\nof Jakarta, sits on one of the largest known gold and copper
\nreserves in the world. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/beanal-suit-against-freeport-continues-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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