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11 october 2003, jakarta (indonesia)
walhi demands a halt to freeport mine
operations
Friends of the Earth Indonesia, (WALHI)
demanded to the Indonesian Government to halt
operations at the Grasberg mine (known as
“Freeport”) following a disastrous landslide
on Thursday morning 9 October 2003. The
Grasberg mine in West Papua is jointly owned
by USA-based Freeport McMoran and
UK/Australian mining company Rio Tinto
Ltd.
“This event proves Freeport is not
competent to handle the current high level of
mining production. The government must
immediately enforce a reduction in the
Freeport production capacity” said
Mr.Longgena Ginting, National Director of
Friends of the Earth Indonesia (WALHI).
In 1997, the Indonesian government
approved a request from Freeport to raise
production capacity to 300 000 tons of ore
per day. The increase in production capacity
was funded in large part by Rio Tinto Ltd, in
return for a share in the increased mine
profits. Even at the lower production level,
Freeport’s operations had resulted in huge
environmental impacts. Destruction caused by
the Freeport mining operation covers a vast
area from the 4 000 meter high mountaintop
all the way down to the coast and the Arafura
Sea to Australia’s north.
Freeport Mining Indonesia always claims
that various disasters which have occurred in
its area of operations are the tragic result
of natural events, such as the landslide of
waste rocks at Lake Wanagon in 2000, which
killed 4 of Freeport’s subcontract workers.
In fact, Freeport is well aware of the risk
of it’s operation in an area with high
rainfall and seismic activity, nevertheless
this has not prevented the company from
raising production capacity in the
scramble
for maximum profits.
“Now is the time for the House of
Representatives to pressure the government to
conduct a review of all mining contracts and
improve the mining licensing system which up
until now has given absolute rights to mining
companies at the expense of the public”
continued Longgena Ginting.
The government is also obliged to demand
absolute responsibility from companies, based
on the principle of strict liability as set
out in Environment Management Law No.23
(1997), and must both compel the company to
immediately repair environmental damage and
demand responsibility from company executives
for the disastrous loss of life.
Contact in Jakarta:
Longgena Ginting (0811 927 038)
Nur Hidayati (021- 794 1672)
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