House's working committee calls for Freeport's operation stoppage

A task force of the House of Representatives (DPR)has recommended mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) temporarily halt its operation (moratorium) pending the completion of the audit now being conducted by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

Spokesman for the House's Working Committee on Freeport Indonesia Tjatur Sapto Eddy said in Jakarta Thursday that a letter of the recommended moratorium had been submitted to the House Commission VII that would discuss the report after the recess period in 2009.

PTFI should stop operation for between 6 and 12 months, depending on the time needed by BPK to complete the audit, he said.

Another working committee member Sonny Keraf added that the moratorium was aimed to ensure that the audit could work well, based on what actually happened.

He said that the audit by BPK was investigative in nature, covering environmental and social aspects.

The House working committee also recommended PTFI improve its environmental protection program considering that the company had been dumping of its liquid waste (tailing) directly to the sea, leaving the sea heavily contaminated. ?Therefore, we urge PTFI to build a tailing pipeline through which its liquid waste is channeled (to the sea) to minimize the environmental impact,? he said. (Bernard)