Freeport contract of work must be more humane

The government has no intention to drop the contract of work of gold giant mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia but wants to see a contract that is more humane to the people near its mining site in the Papua province, according to Minister of State Apparatus Development Freddy Numberi, a Papua indigenous.

Freddy said that during the past 33 years, Freeport had not developed the Papua people who had become poorer because the firm exploited the forest.

He pointed out as example that Freeport should source the daily needs of its employees such as meet, vegetables, and fruits from the local people instead of sourcing it from Australia.

He said that if Freeport wanted a high standard of agriculture products for its employees, the company should invite consultants on how to upgrade the quality of the local agriculture products.

He said that by doing this, Freeport would have also developed the local human resources.

Freddy was responding to earlier press reports saying that the government was considering to drop Freeport contract on allegations of environmental destruction and human rights violation. (*)