Buyat residents deny out-of-the court-settlement with Newmont
Saturday, January 8 2005 - 03:03 AM WIB
Anwar Striman, a representative of the villagers, said that the residents opposed the out-court-settlement made by legal aid institution LBH Kesehatan, which claimed to h have acted on the behalf of the villagers.
According to Anwar, the settlement was made without a prior consent from the residents.
He also denied that the villagers had issued a statement, that their charge against the mining company had no legal base, and that they did not have any evidence to support their claims that the tailing disposed of by the mining company to the bay had caused pollution, and affected their health.
Anwar said that LBH Kesehatan had violated the mutual agreement with the villagers and due to this misconduct, the villagers had decided to withdraw the right given to the non-governmental organization (NGO) to act as their legal representative in their legal fight against Newmont.
According to Anwar, the villagers would continue their legal fight to demand compensation from the company. The villagers charged that the arsenic pollution resulting from the company's undersea tailing ground had caused a widespread skin disease.
Albert Y. Panggabean, an executive of LBH Kesehatan, said that it was the villagers' right to revoke the right given to the legal aid institution to act as their legal representative. "But we regret that the Buyat residents had forgotten our end-less fight in helping them in their legal struggle against the company."
Albert also denied that LBH Kesehatan had a hidden agenda.
The South Jakarta Court read the out-of-the court settlement during a court hearing held in Jan. 5 in front of the representatives of LBH Kesehatan and Newmont's legal advisors. None of the villagers attended the hearing. (*)