Newmont insists Walhi to give some explanation over damaging accusation
Saturday, March 3 2001 - 06:00 AM WIB
Gold and copper mining firm PT Newmont Minahasa Raya (NMR) has insisted independent environmental watchdog Walhi to give some explanation over its research report concluding that the company's mining operation in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, has caused mercury and arsenic poisoning to the local Teluk Buyat people.
But so far, Walhi has failed to respond properly to the 8-point questions forwarded by NMR to Walhi director Emmy Hafild in February 8, 2001 letter, a copy of which was obtained by Petromindo.com.
"Your reply letter (February 19) did not answer our questions," said NMR president in Richard B. Ness in another March 3, 2001 letter to Walhi.
"Without satisfying answer to (our) questions, your report and all the accusations in it is considered can not be trusted and must be withdrawn from the public," Ness said.
"Your report is only accusations that have confused the public and created fears," he added.
NMR demanded Walhi to give some explanation, after independent experts from the University of Indonesia in Jakarta and physicians from Manado informed NMR that they could not make any conclusion out of the Walhi research report because the research failed to provide scientific and comprehensive data. The research was also suspected to have not implemented the scientific standard procedure in the process of taking samples and making the analysis.
Some of the questions asked by NMR are the following:
First, why did Walhi use blood as the medium for testing respondents, while other experts would recommend urine, hair or finger nails to test mercury or arsenic level in human body.
Second, NMR also wants some explanation over the reference range used by Walhi to decide the mercury and poisoning. NMR said that the reference range reported by Walhi was still below the WHO standard.
Third, NMR also demands explanation on the procedure and protocol in taking the blood sample of the 20 respondents. Fourth, the company also asks Walhi to explain the characteristic of the respondents.
Elsewhere, the company also asks Walhi whether it took into account the illegal mining activity, which had used massive mercury in their operation, in its research work. (R. Amoros)