Irianese oppose PT Freeport's expansion plan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Irianese tribal groups living near PT Freeport
\nIndonesia's Grasberg copper and gold mine are not letting up in
\ntheir opposition to the mining company's plan to increase
\nproduction.<\/p>\n
Tribal representatives urged the government on Friday to
\nreject the expansion plan because they believed it would cause
\nintolerable ecological damage. They contended the firm was unable
\nto protect the environment even at lower production levels.<\/p>\n
\"What will happen if they raise ore output to 300,000 tons per
\nday when they still fail to protect the environment with the
\ncurrent production level?\" Matias, chief of the Ekari tribe, told
\nvisiting State Minister of Environment Panangian Siregar and
\nseveral members of the House of Representatives' Commission V for
\nmines and energy, environment, industry and trade, manpower and
\ncooperatives.<\/p>\n
The minister and the legislative delegation headed by Sunardjo
\nvisited Timika on Thursday through Friday to gauge local tribe
\nmembers' opinions on the plan.<\/p>\n
They were accompanied by Irian Jaya's vice governor Bram O.
\nAtururi and Freeport's vice president Agus Kafiar during the
\nmeeting with chiefs of the Moni, Nduga, Dani, Ekari and Damal
\ntribes.<\/p>\n
The subsidiary of U.S.-mining company Freeport McMoRan Copper
\n& Gold is licensed to produce 160,000 tpd of ore, but is
\ncurrently producing above 200,000 tpd as part of its trial
\noperation to reach the 300,000 tpd goal.<\/p>\n
\"Those of us living in the highlands are still lucky. How
\nabout those living in the lowlands?\" Matias was quoted by Antara
\nas saying.<\/p>\n
He alleged that several members of the lowland Komoro tribe
\nbecame ill after consuming fish taken from Freeport's tailing.<\/p>\n
There was no explanation concerning the absence of the Amungme
\nand Kamoro, the largest tribes around Grasberg who are lowland
\ndwellers.<\/p>\n
Amungme's chieftain Tom Beanal told The Jakarta Post late last
\nmonth that life in the area was \"hellish\" under current
\nproduction conditions and he opposed any expansion.<\/p>\n
Matias modestly advised the minister and House members to
\nconsult with \"knowledgeable people\" on the plan instead of the
\n\"ignorant\" local people.<\/p>\n
Freeport recently agreed to raise royalties to the government
\nin return for the license for its expansion.<\/p>\n
It agreed to double its copper royalties from between 1.5
\npercent and 3.5 percent to between 3 percent and 7 percent. It
\nalso agreed to triple its gold and silver royalties from 1
\npercent to 3 percent of sales.<\/p>\n
The royalty scheme will be backdated to Jan. 1, 1999, but it
\nonly takes effect if Freeport's ore output exceeds 200,000 tpd.<\/p>\n
Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusbroto earlier said
\nthe ministry would not issue the expansion license until
\nnegotiations were completed with the company on protecting the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
Catholic priest Yustinus Rahangiar, who was also present at
\nthe meeting on Friday, said the expansion would provide larger
\nearnings to the government, but cautioned it was no guarantee of
\nbetterment of the tribes' welfare.<\/p>\n
Moni's chief Lazarus Somonaung accused Freeport of failing to
\nfulfill the promise it made 30 years ago to increase the welfare
\nof the tribal people.<\/p>\n
\"Please, look back to the agreement made by the company 30
\nyears ago,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Duga's chief was concerned by the prevalence of alcohol in the
\narea, which he blamed on the firm.<\/p>\n
\"Freeport should stop distributing alcohol here since it makes
\ntribes fight against each other.\"<\/p>\n
Freeport's data show Irian Jaya received an average of US$27.6
\nmillion per year in royalties from the company between 1995 and
\n1997. The amount accounted for about 70 percent of the province's
\ndomestic income. (jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/irianese-oppose-pt-freeports-expansion-plan-1447893297",
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