Military, police ready to repel attacks on Freeport

The military and police in Irian Jaya said they were ready to repel possibly attacks by the local rebels on copper and gold mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika district, The Jakarta Post reported Thursday.

Both Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon and Irian Jaya Police chief Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika said that a number of police and military personnel from the police?s Mobile Brigade and Army?s Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) along with other security task forces had been stationed in the Freeport compound.

?PT Freeport is a vital project that is closely related to our nation?s image in the international community. I think the existing personnel will be enough to secure the area,? Made Mangku said after the handover ceremony of the post of Irian Jaya naval base commander from Brig. Gen. Yusuf Solichin to Col. Joseph Sutrasman.

The military and police have beefed up security around the Freeport compound following a threat of an armed attack on August 1, made by the local rebel group, which is better known as Free Papua Movement (OPM ).

August 1 is also the anniversary of the establishment of the Trikora Military Command overseeing the Irian Jaya province.

Local district military chief Lt.Col. Jamaluddin separately said two areas in Timika that needed close observation were Banti and Tsinga, OPM gunmen were often spotted.

Freeport is controlled by American mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold. (*)