Conoco, Nabire Mining exploiting Lorentz

Two foreign companies in Irian Jaya, PT Conoco Indonesia and PT Nabire Bhati Mining (NBM), have begun conducting oil exploration and mining activities in the Lorentz National Park.

The head of the Natural Resources Conservatory Agency's (KSDA) Irian Jaya chapter IGNN Sutedja, told Antara the operations of the two foreign firms, oil company Conoco and gold mining company NBM, could damage the environment in the park.

Sutedja noted that Conoco had secured 150,000 hectares of concession in Lorentz National Park from the government and was currently exploring for oil in the park.

Besides Conoco, he said, NBM have begun mining activities in the national park, especially in the Nabire, Paniai and Puncak Jaya districts. Sutedja did not give further details.

Sutedja added that currently around 100,000 people working for Conoco, NBM and the copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia reside inside Lorentz National Park.

"From that figure alone, you can imagine the damage that could be inflicted on the park's environment," he said.

Lorentz is the largest national park in Indonesia, covering an area of 2.5 million hectares, spanning from the near impenetrable swamps near the Arafura Sea to the tropical glacier of the 5,039-meter-high Puncak Jaya mountain. It also has a lush tropical rain forest.

Lorentz is the third national park in Indonesia, which UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has declared a World Heritage Site. The first two are the Ujung Kulon National Park in West Java and the Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara. (*)