Freeport's Rp 3b for Irian tribes

JAKARTA (JP): PT Freeport Indonesia agreed last week to provide Rp 3.5 billion (about US$1.5 million) to seven tribes living near its operations site in Irian Jaya, a local official said yesterday.

The Amungme, Mani, Ekagi, Nduga, Damal, Kamoro and Sempan tribes all live in the Timika subdistrict.

Chief of the Irian Jaya provincial planning board H.E. Mackbon was quoted by Antara as saying that the tribal people can use the money as of next month.

The fund represents 1 percent of the American gold and copper giant's profit.

"However, the money cannot be disbursed without them (the indigenous people) specifying what they will use it for," Mackbon said.

The local people, claiming they have ancestral rights to the land, have long demanded their "fair share" from the mining operations. They have also attacked the companies' facilities on occasion to press their demands. (pan)