KPC suspects certain parties playing it against community groups

East Kalimantan-based coalminer PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) suspects that certain parties have tried to pit the company against other groups who demand for the province?s ownership in the coal mining giant, local daily Kaltim Post reported Wednesday.

?There are strong indications that certain parties have intentionally tried to play KPC against AMKK and other community groups from East Kalimantan, by releasing reports as though they were based on official sources at KPC,? the paper quoted as saying company spokesperson Nunik Maulana. AMKK stands for Alliance of East Kalimantan People whose members include lawyers and students.

Nunik however did not mention the names of the parties.

Nunik said that certain people had manipulated KPC?s press statements and media interviews with company officials about recent demonstrations at its mining site in Sangatta, East Kalimantan.

AMKK had accused KPC officials of labeling it an illegal organization in their press statements and interviews, Nunik said, while adding that she had just clarified this matter with the organization. Its chairman Amir P Ali had admitted that they had got misleading information from other people, Nunik said.

Thousands of protesters recently held a peaceful rally at the mining site, threatening to take control of KPC if it cannot settle its divestment program within three months.

Divestment of 51 percent of KPC shares to Indonesian investors had been planned for completion by January 2003 after being delayed for at least three times. The delay had been due a dispute over the percentage of the shares that must be sold to the central government and East Kalimantan province.

East Kalimantan provincial administration had demanded to buy the entire 51 percent stake, but the latest compromise stipulated that the province was entitled to only 30 percent of it, and the remaining 21 percent was for state coalminer PT Bukit Asam.

Rio Tinto and BP PLC equally own KPC. (*)