Irian copper town calm but tense after riots

Irian copper town calm but tense after riots

JAKARTA (JP): The Irian Jayan copper town of Timika and the
Tembagapura mine of PT Freeport Indonesia, the giant American
copper and gold mining company, were calm but tense yesterday
after three days of rioting, residents said.

Bruce Marsh, Freeport environmental manager, said the
situation in Timika and Tembagapura was calm and normal, and the
company was preparing to resume its mining and milling operation.

The company was forced to shut down operations on Monday
because of the riots that were aimed chiefly at its facilities.

"A number of Freeport officials are checking on the company's
equipment and facilities to make sure that they are ready for the
mining and milling operations," Marsh told The Jakarta Post by
phone yesterday. "Hopefully, we can start the operation in a
matter of hours."

Harimau Sutney, a Timika resident active in protecting the
interests of the people living around the Freeport area, told the
Post separately that the situation was calm yesterday, but that
it was tense, with soldiers patrolling the streets.

Anggaipak, another resident, said many people were seen on the
streets, and shops were reopened yesterday.

Marsh said the Timika airport was reopened for Freeport planes
yesterday after being closed the previous day. Other civilian
flights would begin landing and leaving from the airport today.

Strategy

James Moffett, chairman of the board of New Jersey-based
Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Co. which owns Freeport
Indonesia, was expected in Timika yesterday, to help develop a
strategy to calm the local people, Marsh said.

Moffett had been in Biak since Tuesday, he added.

Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc has an 82% stake in
Freeport Indonesia, the Indonesian government and PT Investama
Copper, each have 9% stakes.

The riots which began in Tembagapura on Sunday and later
spread to Timika, saw thousands of people attacking Freeport
office buildings and houses belonging to its employees.

A number of Freeport vehicles were commandeered by the
rioters, and Timika police precinct and the local airport were
also damaged in the riot.

The riots had their origins in rumors that a local resident
had been killed after he was hit by a Freeport car in a road
accident on Saturday. The rumor turned out to be false -- the
resident was treated in a hospital and discharged the same day --
but it quickly gained currency among the local people, many of
whom harbor resentment against Freeport.

Marsh said that there were no serious damage to properties or
facilities belonging to Freeport. "There were only broken
windows," he said.

He denied an earlier Antara report suggesting that three
Freeport employers were badly injured in the riot.

A few sustained light injuries, he said.

He confirmed that two men were killed in an accident involving
a truck that had been commandeered by the rioters. But he said
the truck belonged to a Freeport contractor.

Harimau, however, said that the number of casualties had risen
to four by yesterday, although he did not have any details on the
death of the other two persons.

Marsh said several Freeport vehicles were commandeered or
stolen by the rioters.

The company, he added, was still assessing the extent of
damage after the riots.

In Jakarta, legislator Sabam Sirait said the riots were an
illustration of the long standing conflict of interests between
Freeport and the local people.

Sabam suggested that the Indonesian government should raise
its stake to obtain majority control of Freeport and force the
company to resolve its conflict with the local people.

He made these remarks during a hearing between Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and the House of Representatives'
Commission I which deals with foreign affairs and domestic
security. (imn)