PT Freeport's fund should be rearranged
PT Freeport's fund should be rearranged
JAKARTA (JP): The distribution of PT Freeport Indonesia's
development fund should be rearranged so that it will not cause
problems or conflict among Irian Jaya tribes that receive it, a
human rights official says.
"The distribution and utilization of the 1 percent fund should
be corrected," said Bambang Soeharto of the National Commission
on Human Rights, adding that it should be ensured that the money
reached the right people.
"Recent protest by people in Timika was because the fund was
not distributed fairly," he said. "There was an indication that
rather than reaching appointed foundations, the money was
pocketed by certain individuals."
He did not elaborate but said that it was the recent fund
disbursement that triggered conflict between the tribes.
Bambang just returned from a trip to Timika where four people
died last month, including two in riots that local leaders linked
to the rising tension over the disbursement of the development
fund by giant mining company Freeport.
Rp 2.3 billion (US$800.000) was involved, which was meant to
be divided among seven tribes affected by the company's
operations. They were the Amungme, Kamoro, Moni, Ekari, Dani,
Damal and Nduga tribes.
Last year, controversy over the fund caused tribal warfare
that killed 12 people.
Bambang called for the establishment of a forum to discuss and
find solutions to the problems in Timika. The forum should
include the National Development Planning Board, the Armed
Forces, the local government, local people and Freeport, he said.
The company's vice president for environmental affairs, Bruce
E. Marsh, said on Tuesday that the company planned to continue to
allocate 1 percent of its profit for local community development,
but would also start discussing ways of distributing the fund
differently.
"The problem is not the fund," he said. "What's causing
conflict is how the money has been distributed."
He said the rights commission had suggested that "it would be
more effective" if the money was presented to each village and
the locals were allowed to decide how to use the fund.
Marsh said the discussion on rearranged distribution had yet
to be finalized. "But the idea is still there of how to send the
money out to the locals to provide for their essential needs,
such as health care, education, housing, roads and drinking
water."
Separately, the three main churches in Mimika regency, Irian
Jaya, along with the Foundation of Amungme's Consultative
Institution, expressed disappointment over the rights
commission's visit to the area.
They said in a statement that the commission had not performed
a thorough and comprehensive investigation into various problems
in Timika.
The churches also questioned whether the commission's two-day
visit, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, was enough to find a solution to the
problems.
The commission had earlier said that they were not visiting
Timika to investigate the riots but to "familiarize" themselves
with the area and its problems. (10)
JAKARTA (JP): The distribution of PT Freeport Indonesia's
development fund should be rearranged so that it will not cause
problems or conflict among Irian Jaya tribes that receive it, a
human rights official says.
"The distribution and utilization of the 1 percent fund should
be corrected," said Bambang Soeharto of the National Commission
on Human Rights, adding that it should be ensured that the money
reached the right people.
"Recent protest by people in Timika was because the fund was
not distributed fairly," he said. "There was an indication that
rather than reaching appointed foundations, the money was
pocketed by certain individuals."
He did not elaborate but said that it was the recent fund
disbursement that triggered conflict between the tribes.
Bambang just returned from a trip to Timika where four people
died last month, including two in riots that local leaders linked
to the rising tension over the disbursement of the development
fund by giant mining company Freeport.
Rp 2.3 billion (US$800.000) was involved, which was meant to
be divided among seven tribes affected by the company's
operations. They were the Amungme, Kamoro, Moni, Ekari, Dani,
Damal and Nduga tribes.
Last year, controversy over the fund caused tribal warfare
that killed 12 people.
Bambang called for the establishment of a forum to discuss and
find solutions to the problems in Timika. The forum should
include the National Development Planning Board, the Armed
Forces, the local government, local people and Freeport, he said.
The company's vice president for environmental affairs, Bruce
E. Marsh, said on Tuesday that the company planned to continue to
allocate 1 percent of its profit for local community development,
but would also start discussing ways of distributing the fund
differently.
"The problem is not the fund," he said. "What's causing
conflict is how the money has been distributed."
He said the rights commission had suggested that "it would be
more effective" if the money was presented to each village and
the locals were allowed to decide how to use the fund.
Marsh said the discussion on rearranged distribution had yet
to be finalized. "But the idea is still there of how to send the
money out to the locals to provide for their essential needs,
such as health care, education, housing, roads and drinking
water."
Separately, the three main churches in Mimika regency, Irian
Jaya, along with the Foundation of Amungme's Consultative
Institution, expressed disappointment over the rights
commission's visit to the area.
They said in a statement that the commission had not performed
a thorough and comprehensive investigation into various problems
in Timika.
The churches also questioned whether the commission's two-day
visit, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, was enough to find a solution to the
problems.
The commission had earlier said that they were not visiting
Timika to investigate the riots but to "familiarize" themselves
with the area and its problems. (10)