Two Bre-X executives held by employees<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of employees at the Busang I camp in
\nEast Kalimantan reportedly held members of Bre-X management
\nSunday, following the freezing of all company activities, Antara
\nreported yesterday.<\/p>\n
Bre-X's head of administration and personnel, Idris, and a
\nsurveyor, Agus Tripadi, have reportedly been held by workers
\nfollowing a proposed layoff.<\/p>\n
Local military commander, Aji Suryanata Kesuma, said Monday he
\nhad yet to receive such information.<\/p>\n
However, he acknowledged that about 400 Bre-X workers in Muara
\nAncalong have been anxious about their fate, which Bre-X's main
\noffice in Canada will decide in mid-May.<\/p>\n
\"It is unlikely that they're being held as captives. It's only
\nbecause they want the company to fulfill its obligations to
\nworkers who'll be laid off,\" Kesuma said.<\/p>\n
National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi told The Jakarta
\nPost yesterday here that he had not yet received any reports
\nabout the case.<\/p>\n
Idris said Saturday that Bre-X had halted most of its
\nactivities but was ready to fulfill all its obligations to its
\nemployees.<\/p>\n
A source said workers' compensation could total Rp 1.5 billion
\n(US$652,173).<\/p>\n
Bre-X Mineral's Busang mine, which was said to be the gold
\nfind of the century, was found to have an insignificant amount of
\ngold by an independent council earlier this month.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana said the
\ngovernment was freezing all operations of Bre-X and its
\nsubsidiaries in the country.<\/p>\n
He also said the government had ordered a police investigation
\ninto the great disparity between the findings of Bre-X and that
\nof Strathcona Mineral Service Ltd of Canada, which conducted the
\nindependent assessment of the Busang mine.<\/p>\n
Bre-X's partners, the Indonesian government, the Indonesian
\ncompany PT Nusamba and Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, have
\nalready withdrawn from the project.<\/p>\n
Demo<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a group of students and youths from four
\nuniversities called for Minister Sudjana to resign, due to his
\nfailure in detecting the recent mining fraud.<\/p>\n
\"Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana must show
\nresponsibility for the case by stepping down from his position
\nand the police should investigate all the officials involved in
\nit,\" read Moh. Naufal, the leader of 14 youths, in a statement in
\nfront of Sudjana's office in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Naufal said the youths represented an organization called the
\nIndonesian Student and Youth Committee.<\/p>\n
The youths' statement echoed a suggestion by Amien Rais,
\nchairman of the 28 million strong organization Muhammadiyah, that
\nSudjana resign from his post after the discovery of fraud at the
\nBusang mine, the biggest mining hoax in world history.<\/p>\n
Naufal said yesterday that the case had tarnished the image of
\nIndonesia and that it was the biggest example of corruption and
\ncollusion in mining history, which involved government officials
\nhelped by foreign parties.<\/p>\n
\"Sudjana should be held responsible, because he is the leader
\nand he shouldn't pass the buck on to his staff,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sudjana said last week he knew there were groups who wanted
\nhim to resign. \"It's up to the President, because I'm only his
\naide,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Probosutedjo, President Soeharto's half-brother and noted
\nbusinessman, commented recently that high-ranking officials would
\nbe unwilling to resign for their mistakes. (13)<\/p>",
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