PT Freeport in fresh environmental dispute

PT Freeport in fresh environmental dispute

JAKARTA (JP): The Irian Jaya legislative body has established
a team to investigate environmental damage blamed on the mining
operations of PT Freeport Indonesia in Mimika.

The speaker of the legislative body, T.N. Kaiway, told Antara
on Wednesday that the inquiry was prompted by a recent rally
staged by students grouped in the Environment Lover.

"We already receive environmental reports (from Freeport), but
the students' rally caused us to suspect that something wrong
must have happened out there," Kaiway said.

During the rally held at the legislative body's office, the
students demanded that the government take stern measures against
Freeport and the holders of forest cultivation licenses for
damaging the environment around their projects.

The students said that the waste from mining activities had
damaged hectares of forests and caused rivers to run dry.

"We are heeding the students' protest, but we must verify
their claims before we discuss any possible settlements," Kaiway
said.

He said he might request the minister of mines, Freeport's
management and the provincial authorities to attend a discussion
on the charges. No date has been set for the possible meeting.

An Amungme tribal leader, Tom Beanal, had filed in the United
States a US$6 billion lawsuit against Freeport for allegedly
causing local environmental and cultural destruction in Irian
Jaya. He lost the first part of his legal battle against Freeport
when a U.S. district court rejected the suit in April last year.
(amd)