JATAM criticizes Freeport for mining accident

The Indonesian Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) strongly criticized the management of copper and gold mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia for the latest mining accident that killed two workers.

"It is the result of poor mining management," JATAM Coordinator Siti Maemunah told Petromindo.com.

She was commenting on the latest mining accident at Freeport's gold mining area in Papua, in which two workers were killed on Saturday and 10 others injured after inhaling poisonous gas. This is the second deadly incident to occur at the world's largest gold mining in less than two months. Eight victims perished in a pit wall slippage at the company's mining site on Oct. 9.

Minister of Eenergy and Mineral resources purnomo Yusgiantoro said earlier there was strong indication that the October 9 accident was due to human error.

Maemunah said that the accidents at Freeport was another evidence of the company's negligence toward calls from JATAM and other NGOs to set up an "early warning system" to avoid mining accidents.

She urged the government to take sanction against Freeport.

Freeport has sent mining and chemical experts to probe the incident.(Godang)