Newmont ad misleading<\/p>\n
Media Indonesia and The Jakarta Post published on Oct. 14,
\nabout a quarter of a page of an advertorial entitled WHO study
\nconcludes no contamination at Buyat. Newmont has also been
\npublishing the same conclusion in a number of international mass
\nmedia publications, particularly in the United States, for
\nseveral days now.<\/p>\n
The statement in this advertorial gives an erroneous
\nimpression to the readers that the WHO study concluded there was
\nno contamination in Buyat Bay. Comparing the press release of the
\nIndonesian health ministry and Newmont advertorial will show that
\nNewmont has come to a different and exaggerated conclusion.<\/p>\n
The result of a WHO study and the press release of the health
\nministry do not make the same conclusion as the title of Newmont
\nadvertorial suggests. The press release of the health ministry
\ndoes not conclude that there is no environmental contamination in
\nBuyat Bay. Neither does it conclude that there are no health
\nproblems in the area around Buyat Bay. The WHO study, meanwhile,
\nconfines its conclusion only to the presence or absence of
\nMinamata disease. This is in keeping with the scope of the study
\nand the samples collected. For this study, only hair and water
\nsamples have been collected.<\/p>\n
Before one can come to the conclusion, as implied in Newmont
\nadvertorial, the samples analyzed and the parameters employed in
\nthe analysis must be more comprehensive. It is necessary, for
\nexample, to test for all biological and chemical contaminants in
\nBuyat Bay. Then, it is also necessary to measure the extent of
\nexposure to heavy metals in water and in the air as well as
\nfollowing the consumption of a number of heavy metals. An
\nintegrated government team is indeed analyzing this feature. As
\nis known, the health ministry has just planned to conduct a
\ncomprehensive health audit in and around Buyat Bay and its
\nsurroundings in the near future.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the conclusion made in the Newmont advertorial
\npublished in a number of mass media publications to the effect
\nthat there is no contamination is both erroneous and unfounded.
\nThis advertorial is tantamount to publishing misleading
\ninformation for the public. We hope Newmont is ready to clarify
\nthis matter and apologize to the public accordingly.<\/p>\n
P. RAJA SIREGAR, National Executive, Board of WALHI, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/newmont-ad-misleading-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }