Freeport's social commitment<\/p>\n
I am writing in response to Mr. Dan Adams' uninformed and
\noutrageous attack on Freeport Indonesia in his letter to The
\nJakarta Post on Wednesday, Sept. 16.<\/p>\n
Please, Mr. Adams, show us the facts behind your statement
\nthat \"the main causes of famine in Irian Jaya is the exploitation
\nof its wealth by Freeport.\" I've reviewed the article that you
\ncite (The Jakarta Post, Sept. 8, 1998), and nowhere in that
\narticle does Governor Freddy Numberi make a statement you claim
\nhe made. Since the governor didn't make the statement, it is
\nobviously one of your own construction, which you attempt to
\nparade as fact.<\/p>\n
The famine that gripped Irian Jaya last year stemmed from the
\nEl Nino effect. Indeed, had Freeport Indonesia not been where it
\nis, many more Irianese would have died during the famine.
\nFreeport Indonesia provided the financial and logistical support
\nfor the lion's share of the relief effort. If you do not believe
\nthis, please ask the Mission Aviation Fellowship, the
\nInternational Committee for the Red Cross, the United Nations
\nDevelopment Program, or the provincial health department of Irian
\nJaya, and they will tell you that their efforts would not have
\nbeen successful if not for the support, both logistical and
\nfinancial, that they received from Freeport Indonesia.<\/p>\n
As for the \"rape and plunder\" Mr. Adams ascribes to Freeport
\nIndonesia, please consider this: when Freeport Indonesia first
\narrived in Irian Jaya in 1967, the life expectancy of the people
\nliving near our operations was roughly 29 years of age. Malaria
\nmorbidity (infection rate) was in the neighborhood of 70 percent
\nto 80 percent. And infant mortality was so high, that the
\nhighland people didn't name their children until the age of 3 or
\n4. Now, life expectancy is nearing 60 years of age, malaria
\nmorbidity is close to 3 percent, and every child has a name from
\nthe time they are born. All these improvements are due to the
\nUS$20 million worth of social welfare and health programs
\nFreeport Indonesia voluntarily provides each year.<\/p>\n
In addition to that, the taxes, royalties, dividends, and
\nother direct and indirect financial benefits that Freeport
\nIndonesia provides to Indonesia every year, totaling 94 percent
\nof the total revenue generated by our operations since 1991, is
\nmuch needed by Indonesia right now. I am certain that the
\nordinary Indonesians, including the many thousands of Irianese
\nwho benefit from our presence in this country would hardly
\nconsider any of those benefits to be ill-gotten gain.<\/p>\n
Mr. Adams, you've erred because you don't know the facts. And
\nin so doing, you've also injured well-meaning people with your
\nirresponsible and grossly uninformed statements. Among those
\nwhose reputation you have sullied are the 400 community
\ndevelopment workers that Freeport Indonesia employs to listen to
\nthe aspirations of the Irianese, and to assist the Irianese in
\ndealing with the rapid pace of change that is happening around
\nthem.<\/p>\n
Although we clearly have social and environmental impacts,
\nFreeport Indonesia also has a social conscience and a commitment
\nto addressing those impacts that, I believe, is unrivaled in this
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
EDWARD J. PRESSMAN<\/p>\n
Manager, Public Affairs<\/p>\n
Freeport Indonesia<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/freeports-social-commitment-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }