PT Freeport in fresh environmental dispute<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Irian Jaya legislative body has established
\na team to investigate environmental damage blamed on the mining
\noperations of PT Freeport Indonesia in Mimika.<\/p>\n
The speaker of the legislative body, T.N. Kaiway, told Antara
\non Wednesday that the inquiry was prompted by a recent rally
\nstaged by students grouped in the Environment Lover.<\/p>\n
\"We already receive environmental reports (from Freeport), but
\nthe students' rally caused us to suspect that something wrong
\nmust have happened out there,\" Kaiway said.<\/p>\n
During the rally held at the legislative body's office, the
\nstudents demanded that the government take stern measures against
\nFreeport and the holders of forest cultivation licenses for
\ndamaging the environment around their projects.<\/p>\n
The students said that the waste from mining activities had
\ndamaged hectares of forests and caused rivers to run dry.<\/p>\n
\"We are heeding the students' protest, but we must verify
\ntheir claims before we discuss any possible settlements,\" Kaiway
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said he might request the minister of mines, Freeport's
\nmanagement and the provincial authorities to attend a discussion
\non the charges. No date has been set for the possible meeting.<\/p>\n
An Amungme tribal leader, Tom Beanal, had filed in the United
\nStates a US$6 billion lawsuit against Freeport for allegedly
\ncausing local environmental and cultural destruction in Irian
\nJaya. He lost the first part of his legal battle against Freeport
\nwhen a U.S. district court rejected the suit in April last year.
\n(amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pt-freeport-in-fresh-environmental-dispute-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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