U.S. asks for release of Newmont staff<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
American Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce held talks with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri and the police on Monday as Washington
\naired concerns over the detention of five executives of United
\nStates-based Newmont Minahasa Raya mining company.<\/p>\n
During nearly one hour of discussion with the President at the
\npalace, Boyce said he had expressed concern about the detention
\nof the Newmont employees, including one U.S. national.<\/p>\n
\"We are worried about why they should be detained and we don't
\nthink that's appropriate. But we are working with friends and I
\nam sure we will come out with a good resolution,\" Boyce told
\njournalists after the meeting.<\/p>\n
Despite being cooperative with the police in their
\ninvestigation into alleged pollution in Buyat Bay in North
\nSulawesi, the police took American site manager Bill Long,
\nAustralian production and maintenance manager Phil Turner and
\nIndonesian external relations manager David Sompie,
\nsuperintendent of environment Jerry Kojansow and superintendent
\nof waste processing Putra Wijayantri into custody.<\/p>\n
Newmont's president Richard B. Ness has also been named a
\nsuspect but has avoided detention so far due to health concerns.<\/p>\n
Boyce said it was still premature to conclude that the case
\nwould drive American business away from the country, saying that
\nIndonesia remained a good and prospective place for industry.<\/p>\n
After visiting the five detainees at police headquarters,
\nBoyce told reporters that the embassy did not intend to intervene
\nin the legal process.<\/p>\n
\"There is no intervention of any kind. Obviously, we respect
\nthe Indonesian procedure and I am quite sure that as the
\nprocedure moves forward, there will be an appropriate outcome,\"
\nsaid Boyce.<\/p>\n
He added that he came to police headquarters simply to visit
\nthe U.S citizen and employees of the U.S company.<\/p>\n
Boyce said the appropriate action to be taken now was to have
\nthe Newmont executives' released from detention.<\/p>\n
\"We do not believe these five are a threat. Newmont has been
\nvery actively supporting the investigation into the
\nallegations ... and our view is that there is no real need for
\nthe five individuals to be detained,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"And hopefully that will be the ultimate disposition of their
\nformal request that they made through Newmont, that the detention
\nbe suspended as soon as possible,\"<\/p>\n
According to procedural law, the police may detain a suspect
\nif they are of the opinion that the suspect is not being
\ncooperative, may attempt to destroy evidence, or their are strong
\nindications that he will abscond.<\/p>\n
The National Police's director of specific crimes, Brig. Gen.
\nSuharto, said it was easier for the police to question the
\nsuspects if they were all detained as they wouldn't have to send
\nout summonses every time they needed them.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
\nPurnomo Yusgiantoro said the President would only receive the
\nreport of the joint team investigating the case in the next
\ncouple of days.<\/p>\n
Purnomo said that there had been no pressure from Washington
\nregarding the resolution of the case.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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