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press release: jakarta, 08 january
2004
"one shot dead, hundreds arrested and
beaten by security at australian-owned mine
in north maluku"
On January 07, 2004, a peaceful protest by
communities members in North Maluku at the PT
Nusa Halmahera Minerals ended in tragedy, as
Brimob shot and killed one, and arrested
hundreds and subjected them to further police
brutality. 850 people from the Kao and
Malifut communities were involved in a
demonstration in the Toguraci protected
forest where illegal mining activities have
been undertaken by PT NHM, a company 90%
owned by Newcrest of Australia.
The communities were met on-site by
approximately 100 members of the BRIMOB,
acting as security for the mining company,
who shot at the protestors killing one on
site, and rounding up 250 for questioning at
the company security post, where they were
beaten. Six remain under arrest at the North
Maluku police office in Ternate.
PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals/Newcrest
(Australia) has been conducting land
clearing, without a permit, on the Toguraci
protected forest since May, in clear
violation of Indonesian Forest Law 41/1999,
which bans open-cut mining in protected
areas.
Therefore we , The Solidarity for the Kao
and Malifut Communities, hereby :
-
Condemn the brutal action perpetrated
by the BRIMOB commander, Badarudin/IPDA,
with approximately 100 of his personnel. It
is a gross human rights violation against
Indonesian citizens;
-
Urge the Indonesian Police Chief,
General Da'i Bachtiar, to immediately
withdraw all security from Halmahera, North
Maluku; release those unlawfully arrested;
and return the body of the murdered to his
family;
-
Urge the Indonesian Police Chief,
General Da'i Bachtiar, to fire the BRIMOB
commander, Badarudin/IPDA, North Maluku
Police Chief Andi B. Sky; Kao District
Chief of Police Alex Hutaubun/IPTU; and
prosecute all parties involved in the
violence.
-
Urge the National Human Rights
Commission to immediately send an
investigation team to the mining site PT.
NHM/Newcrest;
-
Urge the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI),
the local government, and all parties to
maintain objectivity in the conflict
between the community and PT NHM/Newcrest,
and not divert it as an religion/ethnic
issue;
-
Urge the central government to order
PT. NHM/Newcrest to leave North
Maluku.
Solidarity for Kao and Malifut Communities,
North Maluku:
LBH Rakyat, ELSAM, TAPAL, KONTRAS, AMAN,
SKEPHI, PBHI, TAPAK Ambon, Kao and Malifut
Communities, and Coalition against Mining in
Protected Areas (JATAM; WALHI; ICEL; WWF
Indonesia; Kehati; PELANGI; Forest Watch
Indonesia; Mineral Policy Institute; POKJA
PSDA; Jaring Pela)
Editor's Notes:
[1] More on No Mining in Protected Forest
Areas campaign here!
http://www.jatam.org/english/case/conservation/
Media contacts:
Nur Hidayati -- (WALHI - Friends of the
Earth Indonesia)-- +62-(0)812 99 72 642
/+62-21-794 1672
Siti Maimunah - (Mining Advocacy
Network-JATAM) -- +62-(0)815 9290370
/+62-21-791 81683
Igor O'Neill - (Mineral Policy Institute,
Australia) -- +62-(0)812 8612286 /+62-21-791
93363
Ikono -- (from the Kao and Malifut
communities) -- +62-(0)816 811513
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