Illegal miners break into Freeport mine

Around 100 people with arrows and bows as well as machetes forced their way on Tuesday into the premises of the PT Freeport Indonesia?s copper processing unit in Mimika regency, Papua.

The intruders break in to the copper concentrate processing unit and demanded Freeport to stop its production.

The motive of the incursion has remained unclear, which occurred at 16.30 p.m. local time. They are most probable the traditional gold searchers who pan the tailing flow from Banti village in Tembagapura subdistrict, Mimika regency.

Though there were no casualties in this incident but the situation was tense at the plant. By 19.00 p.m., most of the armed man were evacuated from the processing plant. Mimika Police chief Adj. Commissioner Jantje Jimmy Tuilan said the intruders? action could not be prevented due to lack of enough police personnel.

Meanwhile, Freeport?s senior corporate communications manager Budiman Moerdijat told Petromindo.com that incident occurred on Tuesday. But it was not affected the activities of the processing plant.

?This case was already settled peacefully and it had no impact (on the activities of the processing plant). The situation is under control, ? Budiman said. (godang)