Freeport criticized despite its success

Freeport criticized despite its success

TIMIKA, Irian Jaya (JP): PT Freeport Indonesia Company may be
one of the biggest success stories of foreign investment in
Indonesia, but it is not free of criticism.

Despite it being one of the largest corporate taxpayers in
Indonesia, and the biggest investor that has brought about
development in Irian Jaya, there are still those who question the
real benefits of Freeport's presence in the area, and the hidden
costs it has exacted.

"For whom are the Irian Jaya development programs for?" Tom
Beanal, chief of the Amungme tribe in the Timika highland asked.

He argued that the mining areas and the new town now being
developed by Freeport lie on disputed land.

"All the land used by Freeport for the gold and copper mining
operation, as well as for the Sheraton Inn Timika, and New Town
was acquired by Freeport illegally," he told The Jakarta Post.

"The land belongs to the people here who had inherited it from
their ancestors," he said, adding however that he did not have
documents to prove their claim as the legal owners of the land.

He said the land dispute had been referred to the government,
but, rather than helping to ease the situation, it has created
even more resentment. "The government never stood at the center.
It always sided with the company," he said.

Reverend Abiel Tela of Timika said Freeport's operation has
also been detrimental to the environment. The water used to be
fresh and clean, but now it has turned brown, he said.

"We used to see fish, shrimp and crab in the rivers of Ajkwa,
Arrowanop and Minajerwi before the mining started. Now I wonder
whether we will ever see them again."

Tom Beanal is particularly critical of the construction of New
Town. "Who are they building those houses for?" he asked. "How
can we procure those houses? We have no money."

Freeport is not without support from local people,
particularly those who directly benefit from its presence.

Elvius, a Timikan who is employed at the newly inaugurated
Sheraton Inn, said he felt fortunate to have been given the job,
particularly given that most of the other staff are outsiders.

"I'm glad that I'm one of the rare local people hired by the
hotel," said the young man, who before this job was tilling land
or hunting in the forest to earn his living.

He still wonders, however, why most jobs went to outsiders,
even in the mining site, and why there are not more Irianese
employed.

A security officer at the New Town development project, also
an Irianese, is thankful for Freeport's presence. "I can earn
more money and buy clothes working in this project. Some of my
friends are also working here," said the man, who asked for
anonymity.

Like Rev. Abiel Tela, he noted the impact on the environment.
"I used to see several kinds of fish in the rivers before the
mining project came."

One of the biggest supporters of Freeport's presence in the
area is Suparlan Pasambuna, the chief of the Fak Fak Regency
whose administration covers Timika.

"Freeport pioneered in ending Timika's long isolation from the
rest of the world," he said, noting the presence of an airport,
seaport and now a hotel managed by an international chain.

Suparlan was appreciative of the job opportunities created by
Freeport's presence, including education and training, provided
by the company.

He said Freeport built houses, including those for tribal
chiefs, clinics and hospitals, schools and vocational training
centers, all for the benefit of the local people.

He has only one appeal to Freeport: Never stop doing good
deeds for the community.

"As a national and regional asset, I hope Freeport will do
even more to help with the community development, such as
rebuilding the houses of the local people, opening up more areas
for farming, and building more schools."

"Freeport cannot go it alone in its development. It must
conform with the regional administration's development program,"
the regency chief said. (imn)