Freeport protesters arrested

Mimika police arrested 15 people on Wednesday for an attack on Sheraton Timika Hotel in Timika, Papua and are searching for 5 more suspects, the Jakarta post reported on Thursday.

The 15 people arrested were among a group of protesters who have blocked off one of the roads leading to PT. Freeport Indonesia?s mine to protest the US mining giant?s activities in the province.

Two police officers suffered arrow wounds during the arrest when the suspects attacked the police with traditional weapons. The protesters demanded the closure of the subsidiary of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan Copper&Gold Inc.

The protest is the latest over ongoing demonstrations following an initial dispute involving local illegal miners that resulted in the closure of the mine for four days last month.

On Tuesday, they also blocked an attempt by members of the Papua People's Assembly (MRP) and a Papuan legislator to visit Freeport, demanding that they also be allowed to join them for the visit, which was eventually cancelled.

Despite the protest, Freeport Indonesia said that its Grasberg mine, the world's second-largest copper mine, is operating normally.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that copper may rise for a fifth consecutive trading session in London on speculation that supplies from the Grasberg mine, the world's second- largest copper mine, will be disrupted by demonstrations. (*)