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Between dollars and people: Freeport is responsible!

Kontras Papua Statement - February 25, 2006 (Abridged translation)

At a time of Globalisation and Modernisation we must also ask: To what extent will the foreign companies and the government uphold the principles of justice and equality to protect the Papuan people as owners of their traditional rights and to safeguard their prosperity.

The legal process which dealt with acts of violence by the security forces in Waghete when one person (Moses Douw) was killed and three injured will not resolve the problem and will only cause new tensions, bearing in mind the fact that in the case of the perpetrator who caused loss of life, the prosecution asked for only five months.

Now we have been shocked by the brutality of security forces in the Freeport concession area on 22 February.

Since 1967, Freeport has been mining on the basis of Contract Karya I on land that Papuans regard as their 'mother'. From 1978 till 1995, the government treated Papua as a Military Operations Zone (DOM).

The Freeport case shows the world that what has been happening fails to promote the prosperity of the Papuan people who have become victims on their own traditional land.

Human rights abuses, seizure of traditional lands, the arrest of civilians and destruction of the environment and the economic foundations of the Amungme people have had an impact on the lives of Papuans living in the Central Highlands where Freeport operations are taking place. No wonder that Papuan people organise protests; this accumulation of injustice is one factor strengthening the Papuan people's demand for independence.

Besides threatening the existence of the Papuan people, the Karya Contracts of 1967 and 1991 are legally flawed, meaning that Freeport operations and the revenues paid to the state are unlawful.

This means that a re-negotiation is called for to replace the current mining licence.

Kontras Papua therefore states the following:

1. Impunity still thrives in Papua as is evident from the trial of Lieut. Arif Budi Situmeang who was given eight months without taking account of the feelings of the victims and their families.

2. Strongly condemns the acts of violence perpetrated by the security forces resulting in casualties among the civilian population in Timika.

3. Calls of the Chief of Police of Indonesia to form a team to investigate the mystery about the tailings which apparently contain a high quantity of gold.

4. The Papuan provincial government, the regional assembly DPRP and the MRP should speedily set up an independent team to re-evaluate the Freeport Contract to bring it in line with Special Autonomy and acknowledge the people of Papua as masters in their own homeland.

5. Calls on Freeport and the security forces (TNI/POLRI) to behave professionally and not open the way to yet more conflicts caused by human rights abuses.

6. Calls upon the Chief of Police to release the 13 people currently being in custody in Polda Metro Jaya.

Jayapura, 25 February 2006

Pieter Ell, SH Koordinator

Jln Raya Sentani No. 67 B
Padang Bulan Sosial-Depan
Ojek Pad. Bulan Abepura Papua
Tlp/Fax (0967) 588160

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