Freeport's Rp 3b for Irian tribes

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)