Timika to have police office

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo is scheduled to open the Timika police precinct and deploy two mobile units.

Irian Jaya police chief Brig. Gen. Muharsipin said over the weekend that the new units are expected to improve services in the area.

Timika hosts the controversial copper and gold mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia. Tribal people in the area who are unhappy with the company's contributions to local development have run riot on several occasions.

Muharsipin asked local police to improve their professionalism and learn the local culture which, he said, is very different from that of the rest of the country. (pan)