House fronts police work into Buyat
Abdul Khalik and Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The House of Representatives provided on Tuesday a show of confidence in the police, recommending that the government give its full support to the police investigation into the alleged pollution of Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi.
Reading out the recommendations of House Committee VIII for energy, mining and environment, deputy chairman Zaenal Arifin said the lawmakers called on all parties to let the police handle the pollution case, which surfaced two months ago.
"We consider the investigation by the police is more advanced than any others. Therefore, let's focus on the police's findings," said Zaenal, who presided over the hearing with officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Health, the Office of the State Minister for the Environment and the National Police.
The hearing was the first to be held by the House in response to public furor following reports of contamination in the bay. Buyat Bay residents have blamed PT Newmont Minahasa Raya mining company, which has operated in the area since 1996, for the pollution.
The current House session commenced last week after a recess of over one month.
During the hearing, officials from all state institutions excepting the health ministry presented the results of their investigations into the alleged pollution.
The National Police was the sole institution to have found excessive arsenic and mercury levels in the waters of Buyat Bay.
"We call on the government to support the police, who have provided solid evidence of heavy metal contamination in the bay," Zaenal said.
The government recently? formed a joint team to conduct a comprehensive study to prove the alleged pollution, but Zaenal said the move was belated.
The House commission also asked the government to cover the medical expenses of Buyat residents being treated in Jakarta, and to conduct a study into the possible relocation of Buyat villagers to a safer area.
Separately, police said on Tuesday they had questioned 60 witnesses so far, including four Newmont executives, but none had been declared suspects.
The police are investigating the source of the contamination to determine the parties responsible for the pollution.
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sujono said 24 people had been questioned in Jakarta and 36 in North Sulawesi.
"Of the witnesses, we questioned two officials from PT Newmont Minahasa Raya and two others from PT Newmont in Jakarta," said Suyitno.
The police also consulted several experts in the course of their investigation.
"The witnesses' accounts and our laboratory test results will serve as key evidence to indict those responsible for the contamination," said Suyitno.