Police acknowledge receiving money from Freeport
\nOR
\nPolice acknowledge receiving Freeport money<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar acknowledged on Tuesday
\nthat police personnel also received monthly allowances from PT
\nFreeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan
\nGold and Copper Inc.<\/p>\n
"Yes, but the (National Police) Headquarters did not (receive
\nmoney)," Da'i announced after a hearing with House of
\nRepresentatives Commission I for media, information and defense
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
Da'i was asked if the police also received a share of the
\nUS$5.6 million that PT Freeport Indonesia paid to the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) in 2002.<\/p>\n
Da'i did not reveal the amount that the police received from
\nFreeport, saying only that the funds were used to build a station
\nfor the elite police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in Papua.<\/p>\n
Brimob is a rapid-response police unit, which is occasionally
\ndeployed in restive areas such as Aceh and Papua.<\/p>\n
Freeport said in a recent statement that it gave some US$5.6
\nmillion to TNI in 2002 alone.<\/p>\n
"Since PT Freeport Indonesia began its operations in Papua,
\nthe Indonesian Military, along with police, has had a presence in
\nthe Contract of Work area to provide law enforcement and to
\nprotect the mining operations area," the statement said.<\/p>\n
The money was use to build infrastructure and houses, buy fuel
\nand repair vehicles, among other things. The money was also
\nintended for allowances to cover administrative costs and
\ncommunity assistance programs carried out by the military and
\npolice.<\/p>\n
Last year, more than 2,000 security personnel were stationed
\nat the company's mining site. The deployment included coast
\nguards at the port, Air Force personnel at the airport and riot
\npolice to deal with civil disturbances.<\/p>\n
Freeport also confirmed that it had allocated "a small amount"
\nof funds to the soldiers as cash allowances.<\/p>\n
However, Freeport did not specify how much the TNI and the
\npolice received individually.<\/p>\n
TNI earlier acknowledged that it had obtained protection money
\nfrom Freeport. TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said
\nthat some 20 percent of the funds from Freeport was distributed
\nto soldiers as allowances, while the rest was to build
\ninfrastructure around the mining site, which occupies 2,800
\nsquare kilometers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-acknowledge-receiving-money-from-freeport-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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