House fronts police work into Buyat

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.