Elite troops to be withdrawn from IMK?s mining sites

The Central Kalimantan police will withdraw their elite troops stationed at the gold mining sites of PT Indo Muro Kencana (PT IMK) in the North Barito regency in Central Kalimantan in compliance with the request from local NGO, political party and mass organization activists, Central Kalimantan police chief Brig Gen Lodewyk said on Monday as quoted by Banjarmasin Post daily.

Lodewyk said the withdrawal of the elite troops, who were members of the police mobile brigade (Brimob), would be undertaken in phases. A group of riot police members would be posted in PT IMK?s operation area in replace of the elite troops, Lodewyk added.

Barito Kuala?s NGOs and mass organizations had demanded Lodewyk to remove the elite troops after one of them on Saturday shot an illegal miner in the head in IMK?s mining site using rubber bullets. The victim, 19-year-old Gunawan, is now being treated at a local hospital for serious injury.

Lodewyk said they had held the violating officer for questioning, but he declined to reveal examination results.

He only said: ?Once in a while, Brimob troops need to take repressive measures. Brimob troops shooting can be justified. Surely, they must follow police standard procedures even though they use rubber bullets only.?

Illegal mining activities have been rampant in Central Kalimantan and other parts of Indonesia. They had caused state tin mining firm PT Timah, which operates on the islands of Bangka and Belitung, suffer serious cash flow problems.

IMK is a subsidiary of Australia?s Aurora Gold. (*)