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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Freeport: reviewed - threats of suspension (3 articles)
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Stratfor: Prabowo's threat to Indonesia
======================================================= Subj: Jailed activist 'followed the flow'
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Indonesia may suspen Freeport Operations
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Nauru supports calls for self-rule in West Papua
======================================================= Subj: ST: Get proof before you accuse TNI, says Prabowo
======================================================= Subj: JP: Prabowo Suggests Supervision of Intelligence
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Military welcome Papuan rights body
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Subj: AWSJ: Four Feared Dead In Indonesia's Freeport Mishap
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Government to issue regulation on autonomy soon
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Subj: Times-Picayune [New Orleans] on Freeport and Landslide
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Govt Team To Probe Landslide At Freeport Mining Site=20
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Subj: Financial Times: Indonesia Copper Mine Spillage [Freeport]
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] (2 articles) Accident at freeport Mine
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Papuan Believed To Be Involved In Separatist Movement
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Freeport McMoRan stock hit by politics, prices-COO
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] New civilian militia concerns Fak Fak residents
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]Transmigrants want to leave IRJA
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Indonesia: the reality check we need to have
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] WT Press release - Yali Bible published (first complete in
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Army chief visits Jayapura, Ambo
======================================================= Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] No violence as Papuans attend May 1 prayer
Date: 5/11/00 1:15:24 AM Central Daylight Time
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
National News
IMA Agrees To Have Freeport Contract Reviewed
Wednesday, May 10, 2000/12:06:05 AM
Jakarta, May 10(ANTARA)
The Indonesia Mining Association (IMA) agreed to a possible review
of the contract of PT Freeport Indonesia by the government.
"It is okay. Please do it in the context of our agreement which is
not in defiance of the prevailing legal procedures," said P.L.
Coutrier, IMA Executive Director, to Antara here on Tuesday.
Earlier, Mines and Energy Minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said
Freeport`s contract could be reviewed if the two sides agreed to
amend it.
Changes in the contract could be done as one of the alternatives, if
there is no the other way around, according to Susilo
However, Coutrier believed that Indonesia will be able to get into
action with the reason that both sides could accept it (the
reviewing).
"We still believe in it, as the government of Indonesia has
frequently underlined its high respect for the contract. Therefore,
the way to review it (the contract) is fully for the government to
determine," he said.
KEM`s problem
Commenting on the blockading of a main road leading to the area of
PT Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM) in East Kalimantan since April 17,
2000 which resulted in a halt in the company`s operations, Coutries
said it was a bad precedent.
"It was unavoidable, but also a bad precedent for the country`s
investment climate. Indonesia as a country-risk in the eyes of
investors will inevitably be fabricated, so that no investors will
be keen to put their capital in Indonesia," he continued.
He further expressed that the local community`s demand was beyond
logic and fairness as a result of their euphoria on reformation
tailored with the issue of autonomy which actually failed to
anticipate the goverment as well. Hence, he added, the best
solution now is that the government along with relevent agencies
could immediately endeavour to socialize the issue of regional
autonomy proportionally.
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National News
Gov`t Might Ask Freeport To Freeze Operations Temporarily - Minister
Wednesday, May 10, 2000/1:00:02 PM
Jakarta, May 10 (ANTARA)
The government might ask the giant gold and copper mining company,
PT Freeport Indonesia, to freeze its operations in Irian Jaya
temporarily, Environment Minister Sonny Keraf disclosed here
Wednesday.
Responding to inquiries from newsmen, Keraf made the statement
before attending a cabinet meeting presided by Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.
According to the minister, an inter-departmental team from the Mines
and Energy Ministry and his office is scheduled to return here
Thursday (May 11), after carrying out an investigation in Irian
Jaya.
He however noted that the team could not visit the embankment of
Freeport`s waste receiving station, which gave way a few days ago,
killing four persons.
Keraf pointed out that the team has failed to approach the site
because the area was still unstable.
"However, the team has succeeded in gathering the necessary data on
the incident," he said.
Keraf indicated that his office might ask the police to carry out an
investigation.
He also pointed out that this was the third time the embankment gave
way.
"Freeport should have taken more precautions. What is more, the
reservoir contains hazardous waste," he observed.
Keraf said his office might have to propose a new negotiation if the
company fails to guarantee a safe treatment of its wastes. "If
Freeport could not guarantee a safe treatment (of its wastes), it
would be sued in court," he added.
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Indonesian Observer
Thursday, May 11 - 2000
Govt moves against Indorayon, Freeport
JAKARTA (IO) =97 The government announced yesterday the closure of the
pulp mill operated by PT Inti Indorayon Utama in Porsea, North
Sumatra.
The decision, described as a win-win solution by both the government
and the owner, was made during a cabinet meeting led by Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Environmental Affairs Minister Sonny Keraf said the closure will not
affect the pulp factory being run by the company in the same
location.
The decision was one of six alternatives tabled to solve the
problem, Keraf said.
=93The pulp mill must be closed because it has been causing
environmental problems,=94 he said.
Hailing the government=92s decision, Indorayon=92s President
Commissioner Palgunadi P. Setiawan said the company will soon resume
pulp production.
Palgunadi said the company needs two months before it can resume
operations and reemploy its 7,000 employees.
Keraf further said that the government will evaluate the pulp
factory=92s operations within the next year before deciding whether or
not it should be closed down, relocated or kept operating in an
environment-friendly way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/11/00 1:24:08 AM Central Daylight Time
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http://www.stratfor.com/asia/commentary/0005110005.htm
Old Regime General Returns to Haunt Wahid
0005 GMT, 000511
Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo
Subianto, son-in-law of former Indonesian President Suharto, held
a press conference in Jakarta
May 10, announcing an end to his two-year self-imposed
exile in Jordan. Prabowos
return comes amid further moves by Indonesian President
Abdurrahman Wahid to
consolidate his control. With political and social instability
already undermining Indonesias
economic recovery and growth, Prabowos return
presents a direct challenge to
Wahids emerging authority.
Prabowos public press
conference marks a distinct change from his usual secretive
visits to Indonesia. The
former head of Indonesias army special forces (Kopassus),
Prabowo has been living in
Jordan since 1998 when he was discharged from the military
after being linked to the
kidnapping of anti-Suharto activists. Prabowo is also thought to
have played a role in the
crackdown on student demonstrations in 1998, an elaborate but
ultimately and disastrous scheme that led to the
resignation of Suharto.
Prabowo proclaimed he was back for good, and his
main reason for holding the media gathering was to refute past
remarks by Wahid who alleged that Prabowo had
been involved in the killing of up to 100 people during military
operations in Irian Jaya.
Prabowo admitted in the press conference that he
had visited Indonesia several times since January. During these
visits, he was rumored to have met separately
with military officers and Amien Rais, speaker of the Indonesian
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Rais, also
a rival of Wahid, is head of the Central Axis, a loose alliance of
Muslim political parties, many of which have
shown support for an Islamic Jihad in Maluku province. Prabowos
relations with various military officers, Suharto
and Rais, coupled with his past history, makes his announced
return to Indonesia a potentially troubling
situation for Wahid.
Since taking office following his election in
October 1999, Wahid has been accused of acting on his own without
considering other political and social factions.
One of his first actions was to launch the reform of the armed
forces, stripping it of its vast political power.
The army in particular had traditionally played a strong political role,
with branches like the Kopassus acting as the
heavy hand of the government against potential internal opposition.
Wahid placed reform-minded elements in key
positions, limited the internal security function of the army,
facilitated trials against soldiers and officers
accused of human rights violations and raised the status of the navy
and air force in relation to the army. Wahids
military reforms were less a product of democratic reform than they
were a product of Wahid's desire to consolidate
and ensure his power.
While tackling army reforms, Wahid also began
cleaning out the coalition government, removing ministers from
opposing political factions and replacing them
with those loyal to him. Wahid has also encouraged a consolidation
of Indonesias several dozen political parties
into two his own National Awakening Party (PKB) and the
Indonesian Democratic Struggle Party (PDI-P) of
Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri. In doing so, Wahid is
effectively calling for the absorption of the
Central Axis parties by PKB, undermining the power of their leaders,
including Amien Rais.
Further demonstrating Wahids independent ruling
style is his pursuit of relations with China and Israel, despite
broad internal political opposition. As vocal
opposition grows, Wahid has begun taking more direct action to quell
discontent. In March, Wahid replaced the head of
the state news agency Antara, raising concern that he was
trying to control the flow on information.
On May 8, the head of a major Indonesian
newspaper resigned after the papers office was occupied by the
paramilitary youth wing of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU),
Indonesias largest Muslim organization, which was, until
recently, headed by Wahid. The protest was
sparked by a report in the paper suggesting Wahids brother, who
had recently been appointed to the Indonesian
Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA), was involved in corruption, a
charge Wahid adamantly denied.
With Wahid increasingly tightening his grip on
the controls of government, Prabowos return is a blatant challenge
to Wahid. Prabowos alleged links to past illicit
military activities makes him a necessary target in the ongoing
series of investigations into military
misconduct. However, if Wahid challenges Prabowo, the former Kopassus
head may still hold connections within the
military and political spectrum that could threaten Indonesias fragile
stability.
Such a threat further weakens Wahids ability to
gain new investments in Indonesia, as even the most active
supporters of investment, like Singapore and
Malaysia, have cautioned that political and security uncertainties are
the main hindrance to Indonesias economic growth.
It is questionable stability, rather than incomplete democracy,
that is keeping investors away.
Wahid is now facing one of the most direct
challenges to his policies thus far. While he has avoided threatened
military coups and political attempts at his
removal, Prabowo presents a unique problem. As a key figure of the
former regime, Prabowo must be kept in check to
avoid the consolidation of pro-Suharto and anti-Wahid forces. As
long as Prabowo was living in Jordan, only
returning to Indonesia occasionally and quietly, his leadership of such a
force remained distant.
His bold return is likely in reaction to Wahid
putting pressure on his political and military allies and friends. Having
already criticized Prabowo for alleged
involvement in military killings in Irian Jaya, Wahid will have to deal with
the
former Kopassus head. Prabowos return will test
Wahids strength and self-assurance. In directly confronting
Prabowo, Wahid risks a backlash from his allies,
potentially in the form of political or social unrest. However, if he
strikes a compromise with Prabowo, he would, by
extension, be forced to relegate some of his power to
Prabowos political and military associates.
Either way, Wahid risks increased domestic instability, which could
lead to his political downfall.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/11/00 2:38:53 AM Central Daylight Time
From: iris@matra.com.au (Anne Noonan)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, iris@matra.com.au
From AWPA
The AGE 11/5/00
Jailed activist 'followed the flow'
By DENNIS SCHULZ
DARWIN
Thursday 11 May 2000
As Saul Dalton was attempting to
leave West Irian last year, he was
apprehended carrying anti-Indonesian
documents and a machete knife in his
baggage.
Convicted of visa violations, he served
four months' prison in Timika and
later in the capital of Jayapura.
Mr Dalton, originally from
Rockhampton, admits to his own
naivete.
While in Timika he accepted letters
from pro-independence Irianese,
promising them he would post them in
Australia. One letter was found to
contain hand-drawn maps addressed
to the Australian Defence Force
highlighting landing areas for a
potential Australian invasion of Irian
Jaya.
To Indonesian authorities, they were documents
that violated the provisions
of Mr Dalton's visa.
"I didn't do my research to find out that there
were clauses (in my cultural
visa) that say you're not allowed to involve
yourself in anything political,"
Mr Dalton said yesterday in Darwin.
However, he maintains that while in Irian Jaya he
never participated in
pro-independence activities.
That is a view questioned by freelance journalist
Andrew Kilvert, whose
Papuan sources reported that Mr Dalton's
indiscreet manner had
endangered locals involved in the independence
movement.
"Local people warned him about his behavior," Mr
Kilvert said.
A veteran of the Jabiluka protests in the Northern
Territory, Mr Dalton
elected to go to East Timor as a volunteer with
the International Federation
for East Timor, whose members acted as observers
during the independence
referendum.
But Mr Dalton missed the referendum. Upon his
arrival in the West Timor
capital of Kupang he found out that IFET was
already pulling out of East
Timor. He then decided to visit West Irian, buying
a ticket on the ferry.
When he reached Jayapura, Mr Dalton set out for
the highlands, flying to
the highland village of Wilmena without obtaining
a permit from local
Indonesian authorities. There, he was asked to
post letters in Australia for
Irianese.
Mr Dalton was later arrested in Timika and
interrogated, the police accusing
him of spying.
He was tried in a court action taking 10 weeks,
his mother incurring costs of
more than $10,000 in legal fees. He was sentenced
to four months' jail,
minus the time already detained, and moved to
Jayapura to serve out his
sentence.
However, the jails were similar to holiday villas
that allowed him to move
about outside. He often visited local markets and
restaurants.
Released in February, Mr Dalton still believes he
was a victim of
circumstance. "To me, I really hadn't done
anything wrong," he said.
"I just went with the currents and followed the
flow."
-----------------------------------------------
Australia West Papua Association, Sydney
PO BOX 65
Millers Point, NSW
Australia 2000
Tel/fax 61 2 99601698
iris@matra.com.au
------------------------------------------------
Date: 5/10/00 12:41:29 PM Central Daylight Time
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http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000510/l.html
UPDATE 1-Jakarta says may suspend Freeport production
(Updates with comments from Freeport's spokesman)
By Tomi Soetjipto
JAKARTA, May 10 (Reuters) - Indonesia said on Wednesday it may suspend
production at Freeport's vast Grasberg copper and gold mine in remote Irian
Jaya
after an accident last week which left four workers missing and presumed
dead.
Environment minister Soni Keraf told reporters a team had been sent to the
mine in the mountains on the western side of New Guinea island to
investigate last week's
landslide.
Grasberg, one of the world's largest copper and gold mines, is majority
owned by U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Rio Tinto Plc./Ltd.
(quote
from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: RIO.L) (Australia:RIO.AX - news) also holds a
stake.
``Maybe suspending it would be more rational,'' Soni Keraf told reporters
before a cabinet meeting, when asked if there was a chance production would
be
suspended.
He said the government team's investigation could lead to a criminal probe
if evidence of wrongdoing was found.
``I have told the president that if the evidence is strong enough we will
ask related institutions to investigate it.''
Mindo Pangaribuan, a spokesman for PT Freeport Indonesia, said the
government would need strong grounds to order a production stoppage.
``Certainly they must have strong reasons to do so, and if at this stage the
idea is just a thought of the minister then we cannot comment very much
about it,''
Pangaribuan said.
Suspending production would have a dramatic effect on metals markets --
Freeport said last month it expected sales from Indonesia to reach around
1.4 billion
pounds of copper and 1.9 million ounces of gold this year.
Estimated sales in 1999 were a record 1.44 billion pounds of copper and 2.4
million ounces of gold.
FREEPORT SAYS RAIN CAUSED LANDSLIDE
Pangaribuan said last week's landslide had been caused by heavy rains and
was not the company's fault.
``One must look at why it happened -- and it's because of the force of
nature,'' he said, adding the company had not dumped waste at the site for
more than a month
before the accident.
``Normally the rainfall is registered at eight millimetres per day but in
the few days before it collapsed, rainfall was registered between 27 and 40
millimetres per day,''
he said.
But conservation groups accused Freeport of failing to ensure safe waste
disposal and said the landslide had caused environmental damage.
Pangaribuan said imminent suspension of production was unlikely, as the
government team investigating the accident was not due to finish its visit
until Saturday and
would then need more time to analyse its findings.
The lucrative Grasberg mine has been at the centre of controversy in
Indonesia for years.
Critics accuse Freeport of environmental damage, exploitation, cultural
insensitivity and failure to share enough of the benefits from the mine with
local people.
But Freeport insists it maintains the highest environmental and safety
standards and says it has made strenuous efforts to promote social
improvement in Irian Jaya.
The province is one of Indonesia's separatist hotspots, with a low-level
pro-independence insurgency simmering for years.
With the fall of former President Suharto in 1998, demands for independence
from restive provinces became louder, and foreign firms have faced growing
pressure
to share with local people the profits they generate.
Earlier this week, PT Freeport Indonesia was forced to temporarily close its
Jakarta headquarters after around 200 Irian protesters rallied outside
demanding that the
company set aside a greater share of its revenue to help local communities.
Another Indonesian mine, in Kelian in East Kalimantan, was forced to halt
production and evacuate workers this week after being blockaded by locals
demanding
compensation for land they had lost. The mine's operator, PT Kelian
Equatorial Mining, is a subsidiary of Rio Tinto.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/10/00 12:27:59 AM Central Daylight Time
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National (Papua New Guinea)
May 10, 2000
Nauru supports calls for self-rule in West Papua
BY HARLYNE JOKU
THE President of the Republic of Nauru, Bernard Dowiyogo, has urged the APPU
(Asian-Pacific Parliamentary Union) to declare its support for the
independence of the Indonesian province of West Irian.
In doing so, President Dowigoyo has become the first head of state to
publicly make such a call.
President Dowiyogo made the remarks during his opening address at the recent
APPUs 34th General Assembly in Nauru held from May 2 to 6 last week and
attended by 15 member countries including China, Japan, Malaysia, Korea ,
PNG and other Pacific Island states.
Mr Dowiyogo was speaking on the importance of parliamentary democracy and
the principle of self determination.
He said parliamentary democracy based on popular will and not on force
continues to gain strength in the Asia-Pacific region despite the upsurge of
authoritarianism experienced in various parts of the world over the past
fifty years.
President Dowiyogo gave the example of East Timor saying that although it
had been a bloody independence struggle, credit nevertheless must be given
to Indonesia for allowing the referendum which has led to the independence
of East Timor.
Even closer, our Melanesian colleagues in West New Guinea (Irian Jaya) are
striving to achieve independence. I have no illusion that we are all here
because we believe in the ideals and principles of democracy. I would
therefore call on this Conference of the APPU to see its way clear to
declare its support for the independence of West Papua New Guinea or West
Papua if you prefer, he said.
Mr Dowiyogo said it is of concern to Nauru that there are now reports of
militia activity fostered in West Papua as had occurred in East Timor with
the purpose of inhibiting moves to independence.
The right to self determination is a principle of international law and did
not die with the end of old colonialism; it is an enduring principle. Its
future will witness this century, I am sure, the redrawing of many national
boundaries or translate into new distributions of power amongst autonomous
units, he said.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/10/00 1:17:49 AM Central Daylight Time
From: plovers@gn.apc.org (Tapol)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk, andy@sumner93.freeserve.co.uk, robinr@quaker.org.uk, jonathan.head@bbc.co.uk, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk
Straits Times [Singapore]
May 10, 2000
Get proof before you accuse TNI, says Prabowo
UNREST IN INDONESIA
By SUSAN SIM AND DEVI ASMARANI
IN JAKARTA
INDONESIAN soldiers are certainly capable of fomenting unrest in the country,
but get proof first before hurling accusations at them, retired Lt-General
Prabowo Subianto, said yesterday.
In his first press conference here since leaving Indonesia under a cloud two
years ago, the Suharto son-in-law remained protective of the military that
cashiered him for kidnapping student activists in a bid to stop anti-Suharto
demonstrations.
"Yes, we are capable" of creating unrest, he said when asked about President
Abdurrahman Wahid's constant warnings of conspiracies by military personnel.
Anybody is, he said, it is just a question of motivation.
What should Gus Dur do to find the conspirators?
Set up a professional intelligence service uncontrolled by vested interests
to conduct a sophisticated investigation, he advised.
The former rising star, who slipped on the ashes of riots which brought down
former President Suharto two years ago, had called the press conference to
refute accusations by Mr Abdurrahman the previous night that he was involved
in the massacre of 100 people in Irian Jaya.
But he found himself defending not just his record but the recent history of
the Indonesian Defence Force (TNI) as well.
No, the President has been fed wrong information about his activities in
Irian Jaya because he had worked there only twice, in late 1982 for two
weeks, and during a special forces operation to free hostages held by
separatist rebels in 1996.
Yes, soldiers must never hurt civilians because, even in places like Aceh,
East Timor and Irian Jaya, no rebel movement can be defeated without winning
the hearts of the people first.
No, the TNI never wanted to be in politics.
"My generation and following generations have gradually tried to exit the
Indonesian political scene," he vouched.
It was "absurd" to accuse him of trying to mount a coup in the aftermath of
Mr Suharto's resignation when he was in fact trying to safeguard the new
President.
He was a patriot, he insisted, concerned now about the possibility of
national disintegration brought about by ethnic and religious forces. But
since his military career had "come to a dead end", he was now trying to be a
good businessman instead.
NO HOLDS BARRED: The views
On Gus Dur and his accusations:
'I still respect Gus Dur and I pray that he has the strength and health to
lead our country out of this crisis. But he needs to filter the information
he receives. There is much misinformation going on that only benefit certain
political groups.'
On his father-in-law, Mr Suharto:
'We have to respect our nation's former leaders for their achievements. Let's
focus on the future and getting out of this crisis instead of spending our
energy on revenge. My personal views on many issues actually differed from
those of Mr Suharto, and at times I think he was also getting wrong
information about me. But I am an Indonesian, and I respect my seniors. Plus,
he headed the country for 32 years, and surely not all that he did was bad.'
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
Date: 5/10/00 1:17:44 AM Central Daylight Time
From: plovers@gn.apc.org (Tapol)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk, andy@sumner93.freeserve.co.uk, robinr@quaker.org.uk, jonathan.head@bbc.co.uk, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk
Received from Joyo Indonesian News
Jakarta Post
May 10, 2000
Prabowo suggests supervision of intelligence
JAKARTA (JP): Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto made his first public
appearance here in nearly two years, proclaiming he was back for good and
suggesting that the legislature keep a close eye on intelligence operations
to prevent their exploitation for certain political interests.
"There should be a special House committee which consists of faction leaders
that has the authority to summon intelligence officers to report intelligence
operations, including the highly confidential ones... just like in the United
States," Prabowo said during a news conference on Tuesday.
The remark was made in response to a journalist's question of whether the
49-year-old former Army Special Force (Kopassus) chief thought intelligence
operations were involved in or had been used by certain groups to create
unrest.
Prabowo, a son-in-law of former president Soeharto, was discharged from the
military in August 1998 following an inquiry which revealed his involvement
in the abduction of student activists.
Since then Prabowo has been based in Amman, Jordan.
Previous statements on his behalf in the last two years have been made here
by close associates or his father, senior economist Sumitro Djojohadikusumo.
Prabowo admitted that the main reason for holding Tuesday's media gathering
was to refute recent remarks by President Abdurrahman Wahid who alleged that
Prabowo had been involved in the killing of up to 100 people during military
operations in Irian Jaya.
"I consider Gus Dur's statement a result of wrong input and I've already
clarified with him that it's not true at all," he said referring to the
President by his nickname.
Prabowo noted that he had only been briefly stationed twice in the
easternmost province: the first for a fortnight in 1982, and the second in
May 1996 when he led a military rescue operation to free hostages kidnapped
by separatist rebels.
Prabowo expressed no ill will toward the President: "I still respect him
(Abdurrahman) and I will always pray for his health and success to bring the
nation out of economic turmoil."
Military
When asked whether he agreed with Abdurrahman's remark that ex-military
personnel may be fomenting the unrest which had hit the country, Prabowo said
such a possibility existed.
"Yes, they are capable, but there must be a very sophisticated investigation
(to prove the allegations) because we cannot just make accusations without
proof," Prabowo remarked.
"(Finding the evidence) is the job of the intelligence service, so we must
have a professional and clean intelligence service to really investigate
this."
Commenting on demands for the disbanding of military territorial commands,
which military analysts said in the past had been misused to suppress
dissidents, Prabowo contended that "the territorial doctrine is still
relevant".
"In the next 20 to 30 years, I believe we still won't be able to afford
modern military weaponry, so the presence of military troops in the regions
will still be needed to keep our territorial integrity," he said.
Prabowo, who is now a businessman, said he had returned to Jakarta for good
but added that he would still need to travel abroad to run his business in
Jordan.
"I have decided to stay, but my work requires me to do a lot of traveling,"
he said, adding that he had been traveling between the two countries since
January. (byg)
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
Date: 5/9/00 3:00:45 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
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Jakarta Post, May 10, 2000
National News
Investment in forestry, plantations at zero level
JAKARTA (JP): Virtually no new money has entered the forestry and plantation
sectors the past two years because potential investors have been frightened
off, an executive said on Tuesday.
Agribusiness Club secretary-general Tony Kristanto said the country's
questionable security and the government's unfavorable investment policies
combined to make investors hesitant to enter these sectors.
He said government regulations requiring investors to include the local
community in the ownership of plantations and forestry estates were
certainly discouraging.
This regulation, in addition to the uncertainty surrounding the security
situation in the country, has deterred potential investors, according to
Tony.
"I think foreign investors will not enter these sectors until security is
established and the government is willing to review unfavorable
regulations," he was quoted as saying by Antara news agency during a dialog
on the forestry industry hosted by Harvest International.
Director General of Plantations Agus Pakpahan acknowledged the country had
seen a drop in new foreign investment in the forestry and plantation
sectors. However, he said the decline was mainly the result of foreign
investors having difficulty securing soft loans to finance their
investments, not due to changes in the government's investment policies.
He did not provide any figures on foreign investment in the forestry and
plantation sectors.
In the view of most foreign investors, the policy requiring them to involve
local residents in the ownership or management of plantations and forestry
estates is a setback.
The current regulation requires timber companies to sell at relaxed terms at
least 20 percent of their shares to cooperatives, hand over its plantation
or factory to local residents after the company's concession period has
ended and allocate a certain portion of their concession areas for locals to
work on.
The regulation was issued early last year as part of the government's effort
to provide local communities an equal opportunity to manage forest assets.
According to the government, the involvement of local communities would help
reduce conflicts between companies and residents.
A number of timber firms have been involved in heated disputes with local
residents over ownership of the forest since Soeharto was toppled from the
presidency in 1998.
Some residents have carried out illegal logging in companies' concession
areas, while others have gone so far as to seize control of entire areas in
their efforts to receive some sort of compensation from timber companies.
A number of foreign investors in the plywood industry have reportedly
delayed contracts with local timber companies due to concern over the
conflicts.
Over 50 timber companies in Irian Jaya, Kalimantan and Sulawesi were forced
to halt their logging operations due to uncertain security and continued
threats from locals.
Tony said the government should establish a profit-sharing mechanism in
which timber companies would distribute a share of their revenue to local
residents in return for their contribution to the companies' operations.
Agus, however, insisted the existing regulations were fine and that his
office had not received any complaints from foreign investors.
He also said the government's policy was to protect the welfare of residents
living near plantations and forestry estates.
Foreign investment projects must be able to bring benefits to the locals,
Agus said. "Investment is important, but people's welfare is much more
important." (cst)
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/9/00 3:02:51 PM Central Daylight Time
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Jakarta Post, May 10
Nusantara
Military welcome Papuan rights body
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: The National Commission on Human Rights' (Komnas HAM)
plan to open a branch office here has received support, including from
military authorities.
Irian Jaya Military commander Maj. Gen. Albert Ingkiriwang said over the
weekend he had met with the Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy
(IHRSTAD) over the matter.
"I have urged Albert Hasibuan to realize the plan at once," he said,
referring to the commission's secretary general. "We welcome the idea. For
us, the quicker the better."
IHRSTAD executive director Johanes Bonay said the institute was ready to
support the plan. "A branch office of Komnas HAM is badly needed to uphold
the supremacy of the law here," Johanes said.
Three main churches in Irian Jaya-the Roman Catholic Church of Jayapura
diocese, the Evangelical Christian Church (GKI) and the Indonesian Bible
Camp Church (GKII) -- have also expressed their full support for the
proposal. (eba)
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/8/00 3:39:53 AM Central Daylight Time
From: plovers@gn.apc.org (Tapol)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk
Received from Joyo Indonesian News
Asian Wall Street Journal
May 7, 2000
AWSJ: Four Feared Dead In Indonesia's Freeport Mishap
By JAY SOLOMON
Staff Reporter
JAKARTA - An accident at Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.'s huge
Indonesian mine has left four workers missing and presumed dead, others
injured, and some Jakarta bureaucrats and activists fuming about the
environmental impact.
Four subcontracted workers were swept away in a flood on Thursday after a
rock-waste containment facility collapsed at Freeport's Grasberg mine in
Papua province, the company said. The collapse caused the overflow of an
adjoining water basin, which held such potentially hazardous materials as
refuse containing copper ore. The company said it is taking water samples to
assess the environmental impact of these materials spilling over into the
nearby Wanagon River.
The accident comes as the Louisiana-based company is under increasing
pressure from officials of the local and central government to renegotiate
its contract to mine the world's largest copper and gold deposit. The
Grasberg mine is Freeport's principal source of revenue. Environmental
activists and local tribes blame Freeport's operations for allegedly causing
irreparable damage to the ecosystem of Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya.
Search Continues
The company said that it is searching for the missing workers. Injured
workers were treated at Freeport's medical facilities and were recovering, it
said.
"We regret very much the incident and every effort is being made to locate
the workers and to inform and console their families," said Adrie Machribie,
president director of PT Freeport Indonesia, the unit that runs the Grasberg
operation.
Indonesian environmental groups charged that similar incidents had occurred
twice before and accussed the company of failing to alter its waste-handling
procedures to improve safety. These groups also reported protests over the
weekend by hundreds of local Amungme tribespeople outside the Grasberg mine.
"This incident is not the first and (local people) have been calling for
years on Freeport to stop dumping rocks in their sacred lake," said one
Indonesian-based environmental group, the Institute for Human Rights Study
and Advocacy, in a statement.
A Freeport spokesperson confirmed the protests, but said the tribal people
had met with the company to find a solution. The official also said that
Freeport has been working with Jakarta officials in recent months to design
new ways to dispose of the waste materials. A government fact-finding team
was to arrive at the mine site over the weekend to meet with Freeport and
assess the situation.
Indonesian Minister of Environmental Affairs Sonny Keraf said the government
was still studying the incident. He added that his ministry had "warned
Freeport a long time ago" about the dangers of its waste-storage facility,
but said that the company had yet to respond.
Freeport reached an agreement with former President Suharto's government in
1991 to extend its contract to mine the Grasberg deposit until 2041. In 1997,
Jakarta also agreed to allow the company to nearly double its annual
production. Last year, Freeport produced 1.4 billion ounces of copper and 2.4
million ounces of gold and made a net profit of $100.8 million.
Pressure To Restructure
Since Mr. Suharto's resignation in mid-1998, local officials in Papua and
senior officials in Jakarta have been pushing to restructure Freeport's
contract. For example, Papua's governor, Freddy Numberi, has asked Freeport
to transfer 20% of its shares in PT Freeport Indonesia to the people of
Papua. Mr. Keraf, meanwhile, has called for an environmental audit of
Freeport's mining operations.
These developments, combined with low copper prices, have caused Freeport's
stock price on the New York Stock Exchange to slump by nearly 50% since the
beginning of the year; it closed Friday at just over $11.
Freeport officials have maintained that the company's contract shouldn't be
renegotiated. The company has also said that its Papua operations have passed
extensive environmental audits. So far, Indonesian President Abdurrahman
Wahid has blocked attempts by lower ranking officials to alter Freeport's
contract.
Special Correspondent Rin Hindryati contributed to this article.
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
Date: 5/8/00 2:21:09 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
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Reply-to: admin@irja.org
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May 09, 2000 Jakarta Post, National News
Government to issue regulation on autonomy soon
By Ridwan M. Sijabat
JAKARTA (JP): The government is set to issue this week a much awaited
regulation which will delineate authority in regional autonomy in 2001.
But as the draft regulation and senior officials at the Office of the State
Ministry of Regional Autonomy indicate, the regional autonomy plan is not
designed as a power-sharing scheme but is aimed more at promoting democracy
and the equitable distribution of wealth.
Andi A. Mallarangeng, an assistant to the state minister of regional
autonomy, told The Jakarta Post here that the final draft of the regulation
had been completed and was set to be signed by President Abdurrahman Wahid
this week.
He said the regulation describes in detail fields of authority that will
remain with the central government and provinces as administrative
territories.
Regencies and mayoralties will run their administrations and develop their
own potentials autonomously based on the delineations provided under the
authority of the province and based on the macro national level policies set
by the central government.
The current draft regulation specifies the division of authority between the
central government and provinces in 23 fields-agriculture, maritime, mining
and energy, forestry and plantations, industry and trade, cooperatives,
investment, tourism, labor, health, education and culture, social affairs,
spatial planning, land, residential settlements, public works,
communications/transportation, environment, public administration,
development of regional autonomy, fiscal balance, information and laws.
On the macro level, the central government will have authority in setting
out policies on foreign affairs, defense and security, monetary and fiscal
affairs, the legal system and religious affairs.
The regulation also stipulates that the central government can issue
regulations on the standards of public services, set criteria on spatial
planning, conditions for accreditation of educational institutions and
certification of professional experts, development policies and the
exploitation and protection of natural resources.
"The law gives autonomous regions' authority to run certain fields such as
public works, health, education and culture, agriculture, transportation,
industry and trade, investment and environment while the (central)
government has authority in making basic policies in these fields,"
Mallarangeng said.
As an example he cited the fiscal balance field, in which the government can
make guidelines on the reallocation of portions of a rich areas' income to
poorer areas in the province.
"This is to avoid social jealousy among them," he said, adding that the
government would soon also issue technical guidelines on how regencies and
mayoralties should run their autonomous administrations in those fields.
Mallarangeng defended the apparent need for central government
"intervention" through the establishment of basic policies for the sake of
maintaining the unitary state and national unity.
He argued that the unitary state would come under threat if regions had no
common or basic policies to guide them in running their administrations. "It
would also be very difficult for a dissident regency to break away from the
unitary state because it would be under the close supervision of its
provincial administration," he said.
Provincial administrations will be charged with handling all cross- regency
affairs and fields that regions and mayoralties cannot yet manage.
Democracy
Mallarangeng, an expert on public administration, pointed out that the aim
of decentralizing authority to regencies and mayoralties was not to share
power but mainly to develop democracy, empower the people and to ensure
equal distribution of wealth.
"We should learn from the nation's past bad experiences where the people
suffered economic hardship, despite the booming economy ... The robust
economic growth in the past was enjoyed only by a certain small group of
corrupt political elite," he said.
"Regional autonomy is designed to empower local people, improve their
welfare and create a conducive climate for democracy," he said.
Mallarangeng noted that the regional autonomy law and the fiscal balance law
would also help strengthen the position of councils at the provincial and
regency or mayoralty levels.
"With the fiscal balance law, regions will have better bargaining power to
negotiate with the government because of their bigger portion in the share
of their own natural resources," he said.
Mallarangeng pointed out that resource-rich provinces such as Aceh, Irian
Jaya, Riau and East Kalimantan could get between 50 percent to 75 percent,
instead of the 1 percent they currently get, from the margin of profit of
natural resource exploration in their respective areas.
While full implementation of regional autonomy is not expected until next
year, some aspects of it have already been implemented, particularly in the
election of governors and regents.
"The election of governors, regents and mayors has been fully conducted by
local councils. The government only officiates the election process," he
said.
However, Mallarangeng regretted the rising issue of money politics in
various gubernatorial and regency elections in numerous provinces recently,
saying such issues only hamper democracy.
"The most important thing is that the legislative councils listen to their
people's aspirations," he said.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
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Date: 5/8/00 3:35:47 AM Central Daylight Time
From: plovers@gn.apc.org (Tapol)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk
Received from Joyo Indonesian News
The Times-Picayune [New Orleans]
May 6, 2000
4 MISSING AFTER FREEPORT LANDSLIDE;
WAVE WASHES OVER MINE WORKERS
By Stewart Yerton Business writer
Four workers were missing Friday after a landslide at Freeport-McMoRan
Copper
& Gold Inc.'s mine in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, the company said. The workers
apparently were swept away by a flood caused by the landslide.
The incident happened Thursday at 9:50 p.m. local time, when piles of waste
rock and earth from the mine slid into a mountaintop lake, causing a wave of
water and material to spill from the mountain, where the workers were camped,
into a nearby valley.
The workers were part of a seven-person crew employed by a contractor of
Freeport. Three of the seven workers were found and treated at a local
hospital,
but the four others were still missing Friday afternoon, the company said.
Freeport said it was continuing to work with local tribal people to search
for the workers. A 10-person team from Indonesia's departments of mines and
energy and environment was expected to arrive at the mine today, a company
official said.
The incident did not affect mine operations and produced no immediate
fallout
from the government of Indonesia for the company, whose stock has been weighed
down in recent months by concerns among investors about political uncertainty
in
Indonesia.
The company's stock has been so low that on Thursday, Freeport implemented
a
poison pill shareholder rights act, which enables stockholders to buy
additional
stock at half the market price in the event of a hostile takeover bid. The
company's stock rose almost 20 percent, to $12.38 after the plan was announced
on Thursday.
But Freeport dropped again on Friday after news of the landslide and flood.
Freeport shares closed Friday at $11.44, down 94 cents.
Company officials expressed regret about the landslide-flood.
"We regret very much this incident and every effort is being made to locate
them and to inform and console their families," said Andrie Machribie,
president
director of PT Freeport Indonesia, the New Orleans-based mining giant's
Indonesian operating unit.
Freeport operates the world's largest open pit copper and gold mine in
Irian
Jaya, Indonesia. Known as Grasberg, the mine is high in the mountains of Irian
Jaya, a remote province that makes up the western half of the island of New
Guinea. Earlier this year, the Indonesian government formally changed the name
of Irian Jaya to Papua.
Freeport's mine is a massive engineering undertaking, one step of which
involves moving huge piles of rock, earth and other material from above ore
deposits -- the world's largest known deposits of copper and gold -- before
extracting the ore.
The material moved is called overburden. The mine produces enormous amounts
of overburden, which the company stores primarily at its Wanagon Overburden
Stockpile, which surrounds a catchment water basin called Lake Wanagon. The
lake is located at an elevation of 12,000 feet, and the overburden piles rise
another
1,200 feet. Freeport disposes of the overburden at Lake Wanagon as part of an
environmental management plan approved by the Indonesian government.
Rainfall in the overburden area, which normally measures eight millimeters
a
day, has risen in recent weeks to four or five times normal levels, which
apparently caused the overburden piles to slide.
It was the second such incident in two years for Freeport.
In 1998, an overburden slide caused Lake Wanagon to flood and sent a
torrent
of water down the Wanagon River basin, which runs past the tribal village of
Banti. The waters washed away several pigs, but no villagers were hurt, the
company reported at the time.
Since then, the company has installed an alarm system to warn villagers
when
such an incident happens, and no tribal people were lost in this week's flood,
the company said. In an attempt to avoid destabilizing the overburden, the
company also has begun to employ new machines to move the material.
However, environmental activists said the company has not done enough to
prevent problems.
"Improper management of waste rock creates this problem," Emmy Hafild,
director of the Indonesian environmental group Walhi told Bloomberg Business
News. Hafild, a long-time antagonist of Freeport, said Walhi will file suit
against the company.
Mining industry analysts said the incident was not positive for Freeport.
"Does this hurt? It certainly doesn't help," said Dan McConvey, a gold
analyst with Goldman Sachs in New York. "It's not something that anyone wants
to
see, and we'll have to see if there's any kind of fallout."
Freeport is operating amid a subtly shifting political landscape in
Indonesia. While the world's fourth most populous nation has weathered the
seismic transition from the former President Suharto's 30 years of
authoritarian
rule to a more democratic form of government, there are still subtly shifting
policies affecting foreign companies.
As one of the largest corporate taxpayers in Indonesia, and the first
multinational company to invest in Indonesia under the liberal foreign
investment policies enacted by Suharto, Freeport has been a target of critics
of
the old regime, as well as environmental activists critical of the company's
massive project.
A factor to surface more recently is the central Indonesian government's
policy of giving more power to provincial governments. Last month, Newmont
Mining Corp., the world's second-largest gold producer, agreed to pay $500,000
to the local government of Sulawesi, Indonesia, to settle a tax dispute. The
dispute became a warning of the potential problems decentralization could
cause
mining, timber and energy companies operating in Indonesia, as Jakarta gives
more power to the provinces.
"That whole issue about the local governments putting their hands out is an
issue," McConvey said.
The Newmont case was particularly bad for Freeport stock, he said.
"I think Freeport might have gotten a bigger hit than the other company
because of it," he said, explaining that Freeport's main investment is in
Indonesia, while Newmont has a more geographically diverse portfolio of mines.
Freeport's stock has fallen from as high as $ 21.44 in January to as low
as
$9.38 on May 1. While volatile copper prices have hurt the company, analysts
attribute Freeport's weak stock price in large part to the political climate.
"I have clients who just don't want to deal with all the issues of an
Indonesia in transit," McConvey said.
GRAPHIC: BUMPY RIDE Freeport-McMoRan Cooper & Gold's stock price for the past
10 days May 4: Jumps 20% to $12 3/8 May 5: $11 7/16 April 24: $10 Source:
Bloomberg STAFF GRAPHIC
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
**************************************************
Date: 5/7/00 3:45:22 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Reply-to: admin@irja.org
To: kabar-irian@irja.org
Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
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National News
Singaporean Coy To Open Oil Palm Estate, Timber
Industry In Irian
Jaya
Saturday, May 06, 2000/12:42:24 PM
Jayapura, Irian Jaya, May 6 (ANTARA)
A Singaporean company is planning to open an oil palm
estate and a timber industry in Indonesia’s easternmost
province of Irian Jaya.
General secretary of the Irian Jaya Community
Participation
Cooperative Center (Kopermas), Johanes M Abey, told
ANTARA here
Saturday that this company had pocketed a permit for the
establishment of an oil palm estate and a timber
industry.
The company will involve the local communities
associated in
Kopermas’ forestry division by allowing them to hold 30
percent of the shares of the oil palm estate.
"The company will sign a cooperation with Kopermas Irja
in the presence of Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri
here on May 21," he added.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
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Date: 5/7/00 5:47:51 PM Central Daylight Time
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National News
Govt Team To Probe Landslide At Freeport Mining Site
Sunday, May 07, 2000/12:12:15 AM
Jakarta, May 7(ANTARA)
The government is sending a joint team to gold and copper mining
company PT Freeport Indonesia in Irian Jaya province to investigate
a rain-caused landslide which created an overflow of water in the
company=92s mining area late on Thursday.
The nine-member team is expected to be able to establish the cause
of the landslide, the Mines and Energy Ministry said in a press
release issued on Saturday.
The team consists of four officials from the ministry=92s directorate
general of general mining and five officials from the Indonesian
environmental management board (Bapedal).
"The team left for (Irian Jaya) this morning (Saturday) and is
expected to recommend preventive steps as quickly as possible.
Therefore, all parties should refrain from making any open and
misleading statements," the release said.
At least four of the company=92s employees were reported missing after
the accident.
Freeport said on Friday there was only a landslide late Thursday,
sparked by heavy rains that caused an overflow of water at its
mines.
By Saturday (May 6), the four employees were still missing despite
the fact that efforts to search for them had been made since
Thursday, Freeport=92s spokesman Mindo Pangaribuan said.
"We will keep on searching for the four employees until they are
found," he said.
Pangaribuan said he was very thankful to the government=92s quick
response to the accident by sending the team.
"We are looking forward to the assessment and analysis of the
accident and guarantee that Freeport will not meddle in the team=92s
performance," he said.
Pangaribuan regretted the statement by the Indonesian Forum for the
Environment (Walhi) that at least nine local people were killed in
the accident.
"Based on the result of the observation conducted several times in
the field, including in Banti village located 12 kilometers from
Wanagon Lake, there was no resident killed. Only a number of pigs
were carried away by currents," he said.
Asked about Walhi=92s intention to sue Freeport over the accident, he
said there was nothing of substance in the case that Walhi could use
as a valid reason to take it to court.
"The joint government team has been fielded. We=92d better wait for
what the result (of the analysis) will be. But if Walhi insists on
suing the company, go ahead. It is Walhi=92s right to do so," he said.
In a press release signed by its executive director, Emmy Hafild,
the environmental watchdog rectified its previous statement that
nine people were killed in the accident.
"We could not yet mention the impact of the accident like that
because we still have to confirm the accuracy of the data (to the
relevant parties) and now is not the time to publish the data. We
were wrong," Emmy said.
In this connection, Walhi was offering an apology to the public for
the error and declaring its previous statement null and void, Emmy
said.
Emmy said Walhi sent its team to Freeport on Friday to probe the
accident.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/6/00 6:24:37 AM Central Daylight Time
From: plovers@gn.apc.org (Tapol)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk
Received from Joyo Indonesian News
also: Report on same subject from Jayapura, West Papua
Financial Times
May 6, 2000
Indonesia copper mine spillage
By Tom McCawley, Jakarta
A rockslide at the Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia has sent waste spilling
into a nearby valley, angering locals and environmentalists. Four employees
are still missing after hundreds of tonnes of rocks and waste spilled into
the Wanagon basin in the distant Timika province in Papua on Thursday night.
Investigators from Freeport Indonesia, which operates the mine, and the
government will soon report on what caused the incident and on the impact on
a nearby river that flows past the Banti village of about 150 families.
"We have a strong suspicion that the incident happened due to procedural
neglect," said Sonny Keraf, Indonesia's environment minister.
Freeport Indonesia, an affiliate of Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold, the New
Orleans-based group, operates one of the world's largest copper mines in
Papua, formerly Irian Jaya.
Environmentalists accuse Freeport of a chequered record in dealings with
indigenous people and the environment, claiming this incident is the third
spillage of the Wanagon basin in two years. Freeport, which enjoyed a close
relationship with the government in Jakarta under the 32-year rule of former
President Suharto, says international environmental audits have been
favourable.
--------------------
Received by Joyo on May 5, 2000:
LEMBAGA STUDI DAN ADVOKASI HAK ASASI MANUSIA (ELS-HAM)
Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (Ihrstad)
Jayapura - WEST PAPUA
AGAIN, WANAGONG LAKE AT GRASSBERG COLLAPSED
4 Burried alive and 14 Wounded
Wanagong alpine lake where Freeport daily dumps its overburden collapsed on
Thursday 4 May at about 22:30 pm (Papuan time). According to ELS-HAM's
source in Timika that 18 people affected (4 people burried alive in the
mud or rocks, 14 wounded and now being treated at Freeport's hospital of
Tembagapura). ELS-HAM received this latest information last night (5 may).
These 18 people are employees of sub-contractors of Petrosea and GSBJ which
are working around the dried up lake. ELS-HAM's source also said that Banti
village where the Amungme live also affected by the flood from the broken
lake -- 22 pigs swept away, but so far the people are safe. However since
this inccident is not the first time and they have been calling for years on
Freeport to stop dumping rocks in their sacred lake (wanagong) but Freeport
seems not to listen the people are angry and hundreds of them marched up to
Ridge Camp near the Millsite at Tembagapura and blocked the main road
connecting to Grassberg. "We will stay and block this place till we see Tom
Beanal, commissioner Freeport and James Moffet, CEO Freeport come and
resolve this problem," said one of the chief tribes in an angry tone. The
police and military that protect the company have been sent to Ridge camp to
"watch" what the people are doing. ELS-HAM still contineusly monitor this
insident and will update you.
LEMBAGA STUDI DAN ADVOKASI HAK ASASI MANUSIA (ELS-HAM)
Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (Ihrstad)
Jl. Kampus STTJ - Padang Bulan, Jayapura - WEST PAPUA
Tel/Fax: 62-967-581600; email: elsham_irja@jayapura.wasantara.net.id
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
Date: 5/5/00 7:23:45 PM Central Daylight Time
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesian Observer
Saturday, May 06 - 2000
Nine die as Freeport=92s lake breaks down: Report
JAKARTA (IO) =97 At least nine people died and four others are missing
following the collapse of a man-made lake used to accommodate waste
from PT Freeport Indonesia=92s copper and gold mine in the country=92s
easternmost province of Irian Jaya, news reports said yesterday.
Detik.com reported that the deaths occurred on Thursday when the
Wanagon Lake burst after it was no longer able to accommodate waste
from the company.
However, Freeport yesterday said there was only a landslide late
Thursday, sparked by heavy rains that created an overflow of water
at its mine.
However, the company did not confirm whether there were casualties.
Freeport spokesman Siddarta Moersjid told AP that at least four
people have gone missing after the landslide.
Moersjid said production at the mine, owned by New Orleans-based
Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc., was not affected.
Freeport has been criticized for years by international and
Indonesian ecologist groups for allegedly damaging the environment,
charges the company vehemently denies.
In a response to the fatal incident, a leading environmental
watchdog, Walhi, yesterday urged Freeport to take blame for the
reported casualties, or otherwise his group will sue the company.
=93It is fully the responsibility of Freeport. They [the company] had
in the past said that there was heavy metals thrown away to the
Wanagon Lake.
That=92s impossible,=94 Hening Parlan, a Walhi activist, told Detik.com.
He said the lake collapsed because the pond could no longer afford
to accommodate the waste from Freeport mines. =93We will sue Freeport
to halt its operations and be responsible for the victims,=94 Parlan
said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
May 06, 2000
Four missing in Freeport accident
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Four people were reported missing after
the collapse of a large pile of waste belonging to giant mining
company PT Freeport Indonesia at the Grasberg mine in Tembagapura,
Mimika regency collapsed on Thursday.
Blaming four days of rainfall, which reached an average of 40
millimeters a day recently, PT Freeport Indonesia president director
Adrie Machribie said the four missing people were employees of PT
Petrosea and PT Graha Buana Jaya, contractors to PT Freeport
Indonesia.
"We regret the incident and every effort is being made to locate the
four and to inform and console their families," he said. He failed
to identify the four.
PT Freeport Indonesia head office in Jakarta issued a media release
on Friday saying that the incident, which took place at 9:50 p.m.
local time Thursday, was caused by the slippage of overburden waste,
which caused a wave of water and material to overtop the Wanagon
basin spillway and enter Wanagon valley.
The flood also hit Banti village, some 12 kilometers downstream of
the Wanagon basin. "No injuries were reported at Banti," Machribie
said.
The incident came as Freeport was under fire for allegedly failing
to minimize the environmental impact of its mining activities.
Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by U.S. mining company
Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold with the Indonesia government and PT
Indocopper Investama Corporation holding each a 9.36 percent stake
in the company. (eba/sur)
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/5/00 7:23:22 PM Central Daylight Time
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National News
Papuan Believed To Be Involved In Separatist Movement
Friday, May 05, 2000/2:27:45 PM
Jayapura, Irian Jaya, May 5 (ANTARA)
Irian Jaya Police have accused a citizen of Papua New Guinea of
being involved in the separatist movement in Indonesia`s easternmost
province.
Chief of the Irian Jaya Police, Brig Gen SY Wenas, said on Friday
the Papuan, identified as Frans Alberth Yocku, should have returned
home because his permit to stay in Indonesia has expired end of
April.
Wenas said he had reported the case to the Indonesian Police
headquarters in Jakarta.
He said he did not know exactly the extent to which security
authorities have probed Yocku over his alleged part in the
separatist movement because he and several members of the Papua
Presidium have been in Jakarta since April 26.
"I have not received any official report on whether or not the
Indonesian Police headquarters has questioned Yocku," he said.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/5/00 8:13:56 PM Central Daylight Time
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http://news.excite.com/news/r/000504/20/minerals-freeportmcmoran
Freeport McMoRan stock hit by politics, prices-COO
Updated 8:59 PM ET May 4, 2000
By Rita Farrell
WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - The stock price of Freeport McMoRan Copper &
Gold Inc. is being depressed by Indonesian politics and low commodity
pricing,
company President and Chief Operating Officer Richard Adkerson told the
annual
shareholder meeting Thursday.
"We are disappointed in the price of our stock...it reflects the political
turmoil going on
in Indonesia right now and (weakness) in commodity markets," he said.
Freeport's major asset is its massive copper and gold mine in the Irian
Jaya province of
eastern Indonesia, "one of the richest in the country" because of its high
grade ore and
low production cost of nine cents a pound, Adkerson told about 15
shareholders
present.
Later in a meeting with reporters he said that long-term, "we believe
demand for copper
will be strong" as global living standards improve, but "near-term we
don't feel confident
in making predictions."
"We need increased confidence in world financial markets on conducting
business in
Indonesia," and that while things were "looking positive, it's difficult
to say when that will
work," Adkerson said.
Newly established open elections and plans for autonomous provinces have
been a
"raucous" process in Indonesia, said Adkerson, but not a threat to
Freeport's mining
work contract with the Indonesian government.
"Indonesian economics is the biggest problem" he said, and the solution
would be to
spin off the assets of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA)
into privately
owned companies.
In 1991 the Suharto government extended to the year 2041 Freeport's work
contract
for the open pit Grasberg mine from which the company in 1999 extracted an
average
200,000 tons of ore a day at a weekly profit of $2 million.
Freeport "feels very strong" that giving autonomy to provinces like Irian
Jaya will not
result in the reopening of negotiations on the work contract. A request by
Irian Jaya
governor Freddy Numberi that Freeport's contract be reviewed was overruled
by
foreign minister Alwi Shihab.
In other business at the shareholder meeting, five directors were
reelected, including
former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. He was criticized by
representatives of three
investor groups who described his contract as an advisor to the Indonesian
government
as a "walking, talking, conflict-of-interest."
Shareholders also criticized the board and Chairman James Moffett for
being absent
from the meeting for the second year. They called for Louisiana-based
Freeport to
reduce the scale of its mining operations and to renegotiate its work
contract with better
terms for the Irian Jayans.
A shareholder proposal that all directors be elected annually instead of
on the current
staggered system fell just short of the majority needed to pass.
At the McMoRan Exploration Co. annual meeting which followed, shareholders
elected
four directors and approved a stock incentive plan.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/5/00 2:17:09 PM Central Daylight Time
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The Jakarta Post.com
National News
May 05, 2000
New civilian militia concerns Fak Fak residents
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): The establishment of a civilian militia
led by the deputy chairman of the regency legislative council is
causing unease among Fak Fak residents.
The head of the Irian Jaya Assembly, Yeremias Tuturop warned Trikora
Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Albert Ingkiriwang in Jayapura on
Thursday that the unexpected establishment of the militia, known as
Satgas Merah Putih, could trigger civil war in the regency.
"The civilian militia, whose members are Irianese and Maluku
refugees in Fak Fak, is led by Ismael Bauw," Yeremias said.
Yeremias attended a meeting between Ingkiriwang and the Institute
for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy.
He said the civilian militia emerged after Fak Fak regent Wahidin
Puarara was attacked by locals in Weyati village on March 19.
"Members of the militia work hand-in-hand with local police and the
military."
Yeremias referred to an incident on March 20 when troops of the
Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) and militia members
reportedly attacked Weyati, destroying some villagers' homes and
seizing belongings, including jewelry.
He named several people who were tortured during the raid.
"Wherever the civilian militia members go, they bring the Indonesian
red- and-white flag with them. We are afraid that they will act like
the East Timor civilian militia," Yeremias said.
"On March 21, Kostrad troops and members of the Police Mobile
Brigade (Brimob) and Satgas Merah Putih again raided Weyati. They
destroyed 10 houses and their contents. A total of Rp 90 million
belonging to the villagers was reported missing after the raid."
He alleged that religious objects were defiled.
"The joint security personnel and the militia members destroyed
crosses, statues of Mother Mary, Bibles and Korans they found in the
villagers' houses."
Ingkiriwang listened intently to Yeremias' allegations and made note
of them.
"Such input is very valuable to me. I will find out at the site
myself." (eba/sur)
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/3/00 9:09:27 PM Central Standard Time
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The Jakarta Post, May 4 2000
Nusantara
Transmigrants want to go home
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: As many as 47
transmigrant
families at the Bonggo resettlement
unit VIII marched to
the
provincial legislative council to
demand that the
government send them home or resettle
them in a more
appropriate area.
The head of Commission F of the
legislature, Hulda
Wanggober Imbiri, who received the
transmigrants,
admitted that the area where the
families were resettled
was
inadequate.
The resettlement unit VIII in Bonggo is
situated some 200
kilometers southeast of here.
Public transportation was not available
from Jayapura to
Bonggo.
"We could not sell our crops," Anton
Leo, one of the
transmigrants said.
He said residents had to spend Rp
25,000 in motorcycle taxi
(ojek) fares each to reach the closest
resettlement area.
"The resettlement site was also lacking
medication. Once a
man suffering from malaria was given a
contraceptive pill."
Around 100 families, mostly from Java,
were resettled in
the
area in 1998.
Spokesmen for the disgruntled
transmigrants, Paulus Lake
and Anton Leo said that drainage and
irrigation systems
were not made available at the
location.
Hulda confirmed that the stagnant water
had caused
various illnesses for the resettlers.
(eba)
----- End forwarded message -----
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Date: 5/3/00 9:12:31 PM Central Standard Time
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Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday, May 4, 2000
Indonesia: the reality check we need to have
The battle between the civil and military wings of the Javanese
elite is not about democracy, writes Bruce Haigh.
THE dynamics of the Javanese elite seeking to maintain control over
the archipelago will be the defining issue within Indonesia for the
foreseeable future. It will also shape the nature of the
relationship between Indonesia and Australia.
Australian politicians and public servants, with the exception of
John Howard, who remains trapped in the time warp of reflected glory
over the success of Interfet, are intent on returning to the comfort
zone of the relationship enjoyed with the Javanese elite before the
ballot in East Timor.
There is a perception, apparently shared by Kim Beazley, that
Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid represents a force for
positive change. Nothing could be further from the truth. The
erratic but wily Wahid represents the civilian wing of the Javanese
governing elite. The other wing of this elite is the military.
Neither Wahid nor the military has demonstrated any desire to
relinquish control of the Javanese archipelagic empire. This
guarantees a continued influential if not key role for the military
in Indonesia's politics.
The battle between the civil and military wings of the Javanese
elite is not about democracy, but about who is going to control the
political agenda.
The Indonesian republic is held together by the military. The
Indonesian state has not relied on consensual support and indeed is
reluctant to test such support, knowing what the result would be.
Wahid has sought to bolster his domestic position by impressing the
military with the range and extent of his friends abroad. For the
same reason he has refused to visit Australia. By accepting his
on-and-off-again agenda to visit, Howard and the Foreign Minister,
Alexander Downer, have put themselves in a poor negotiating
position. They should cancel his visit and recapture the agenda.
Wahid is not in control of the military. For proof, we need look no
further than the interception of Australian aircraft by Indonesian
fighters in international airspace last week, the accelerated
formation of an armed militia force in Irian Jaya by the Indonesian
military, the continuation of the armed struggle in Aceh province
and the cross-border intentions of the Indonesian special forces,
Kopassus, and militia elements to destabilise East Timor.
Major-General Peter Cosgrove's successful leadership of Interfet was
as much about fronting down the Indonesian military as it was about
creating conditions of safety and civil order in East Timor. The UN
Force in East Timor, UNTAET, has not so far demonstrated the same
capacity and resolve. If past UN peacekeeping operations are
anything to go by, its achievements will fall short of expectations.
Already its administrative capability has been called into question.
Flagging UN resolve may see the Australian military required to
increase its current commitment to UNTAET.
Indonesia has demonstrated a willingness to engage with Malaysia
over broadening the use of force against Aceh. The exercise will
throw Indonesia and Malaysia closer together at a time when Mahathir
is moving to secure himself in power using methods earlier employed
by Soeharto. Development of an alliance with Indonesia and Malaysia
to save the Javanese empire will leave Singapore exposed and
vulnerable.
It is inevitable that sooner or later, the Javanese will lose
control of the archipelago. The process is likely to be prolonged
and bloody for inhabitants of the various entities now held within
the empire by force. The fallout will affect Australia. It will
undermine trade, test our defence preparedness and humanitarian
responses.
For as long as the Australian Government continues to deny that the
break-up of the archipelago is a possibility, it will be unable to
prepare defence strategies that translate into viable and relevant
policy and procurement plans.
The Defence Department needs to develop clear objectives. If it is
felt that meeting these objectives will be perceived by the
Indonesian Government as a direct and planned threat, sensible and
courageous Australian diplomacy will need to be employed.
It should be explained to the Javanese elite that the situation in
the archipelago is of their own making, but that it is capable of
resolution through mediation, negotiation and compromise.
It should be further explained that Australian defence preparation
is for worse case scenarios, which it is hoped will never occur.
A consequence of staying in denial will be that Australian diplomacy
will remain inadequate, defence planning and expenditure will remain
inappropriate and ineffective in meeting Australian interests and
needs within the region.
-- Bruce Haigh is a former Australian diplomat.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/2/00 6:01:46 PM Central Standard Time
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News Release: May 1, 2000
First complete Bible
for any of Irian Jaya's 250 languages
The first complete Bible in any of Irian Jaya's 250 languages has been
published by the Indonesian Bible Society. The Southern Yali Bible -- a
joint project between the Evangelical Church of Irian Jaya and World Team --
will be dedicated at Ninia on May 15-16, 2000.
Though the Southern Yali only number about 10,000 speakers and other much
larger tribes like the Western Dani and the Ikari have had Scripture
translation projects for just as long (about 30 years), this will be the
first complete Bible for Irian Jaya (West Papua). Other Irianese languages
have the complete New Testament and a few also have what is known as the
Shorter Old Testament (an abridged Old Testament with selected passages),
but in 1990 when the New Testament was completed, the Southern Yali
translation team committed to translating the complete Bible.
The first Scripture translation in Southern Yali was initiated by RBMU
Australian missionary Stan Dale who died at the hands of hostile Yali
warriors in September 1968. Just prior to his death Dale had completed his
first draft of the Gospel of Mark. Then Canadian Bruno de Leeuw filled the
gap, helping to establish the first congregations among the Southern Yali.
With the help of a bilingual Yali, Luliap Bahabol, de Leeuw undertook
transferral of some Western Dani Scriptures into Southern Yali.
the Wilsonz (formerly RBMU, UK and now World Team) arrived at
Ninia in 1972, and after language and culture study Wilson began Bible
translation in earnest in 1975. With help from several gifted Yali men
including Luliap Bahabol and Otto Kobak, the New Testament was completed in
1990 and published in 1992. Between 1990 and 1999, with supervision and
help from Wilson, these two dedicated Yali Christians translated the
entire Old Testament. They worked with two Indonesian language translations
as their base text, and the accuracy of their translation was facilitated by
exegetical assistance by Wilson, and through regular consultations with Dr
Daud Soesilo of the United Bible Societies.
When the New Testament was published, with 5000 copies printed, it was
estimated that about 30% of the Southern Yali could read. All 5000 copies
of the New Testament have now all been sold. Even people who at that time
could not read have purchased copies. One lady of about 60 taught herself
to read using the Southern Yali New Testament. Now the whole tribe eagerly
awaits their complete Bible.
Wilson believes that this publication has great significance for the church
of Irian Jaya (West Papua). Though the Yali is a fairly small church
(10,000 total population), God has blessed them with the complete Bible.
Surely with this privilege comes responsibility to use the Word of God to
grow in their own community and by mission to other tribes and beyond. The
Yali Church has already sent and supported evangelists to work among other
West Papuan tribes, some of their number have been active in Christian
ministry to students in schools, colleges and the university. The maturing
and increased outreach of this young church must be supported by our
prayers.
For other background information, see "Lord's of the Earth" by Don
Richardson and "The Valley and the Vision" by Stan Dale.
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/1/00 4:51:57 PM Central Daylight Time
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The Jakarta Post.com
Across the Archipelago
May 02, 2000
Army chief visits Jayapura, Ambon
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Army chief of staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto
arrived here on Monday for a two-day visit to the easternmost
province.
Acting governor Musiran, local military commander Maj. Gen. Alberth
Inkiriwang, provincial police chief Brig. Gen. S.Y. Wenas and
speaker of the provincial legislature T.N. Kaiway welcomed Tyasno
and his entourage, which included his wife, at Sentani Airport.
After his maiden trip here, in which he is scheduled to hold talks
with local community and religious leaders at the provincial
military headquarters, Tyasno will fly to riot-torn Ambon on
Tuesday.
During his one-day visit to Ambon, Tyasno will inspect the readiness
of Army troops posted in the town, which was rocked by a series of
fresh violence last week. At least nine people were killed in the
riots on Friday and Sunday. (49/eba)
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/1/00 4:49:11 PM Central Daylight Time
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The Jakarta Post.com
National News
May 02, 2000
No violence as Papuans attend May 1 prayer
JAYAPURA, IRIAN JAYA (JP): Thousands turned out to attend a mass
prayer commemorating "political rights violations in Papua" here on
Monday.
Before the prayer, thousands of indigenous Papuans, led by local
leader Theys Eluay, marched through Jayapura seven times in
remembrance of what they called the political rights violations
committed by the governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands.
It was on May 1, 1963, that the Netherlands handed over Irian Jaya
to the Indonesia government under the auspices of the United
Nations.
No violence was reported during the rally, which was tightly guarded
by police and the Papua Task Force. Rumors had been circulated that
during the May 1 commemoration, Papuan leaders would take over the
administration of the country's easternmost province from the
government.
There were also rumors that nonindigenous people and migrants would
be forcefully expelled from the province.
Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ingkiriwang said these rumors
had caused unrest among the people in Irian Jaya. According to
Ingkiriwang, Irian Jaya is the target of "invisible hands" who want
to create violence in the province.
And Theys Eluay said the rumors were spread by those who wanted to
create unrest. "We Papuans want to separate from Indonesia
peacefully."
Separately, dozens of Irian Jaya natives who reside in Greater
Jakarta staged demonstrations on Monday at the Hotel Indonesia
traffic circle and in front of the United Nations building in
Central Jakarta, to demand sovereignty over the province.
They said Irian Jaya was victimized by an international plot between
Indonesia, the United States and its allies when the province was
handed over to Indonesia in 1963.
"Thousands of Papuans have been killed, raped and prosecuted over
the last 37 years, while we have never been given the chance to
determine our own future," said one demonstrator.
The demonstrators also accused the government of being
discriminative by investigating human rights violations in Aceh,
Lampung, Jakarta and Banyuangi, while taking no action to stop
ongoing abuses in Irian Jaya.
Meanwhile, Papuan figures and a political expert called on the
government to stop human rights violations in Irian Jaya and give
the province special autonomy to help ease tensions.
Morin, a Golkar Party legislator from Biak, said the government
should withdraw soldiers from rural and remote areas of the province
and enforce the law to create a feeling of safety among locals.
"Most locals do not feel free to go about their daily activities
because of the presence of soldiers in their villages," he said
during a panel discussion here on Monday.
Two activists from Jayapura, Willem Saloki and Jimmy, said they had
lost confidence in the government and the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) because of their failure to seek
a comprehensive solution to the Papuan issue.
Ikrar Nusa, a political expert from the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences, warned the government against the increasing demand for
independence in Irian Jaya, saying separatist activities involved
not only the Free Papua Movement but also university students.
(eba/sur/rms)
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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