NGOs again call for renegotiation of Freeport's contracts

Indonesia's major non-governmental organizations and green activists have again urged the government to renegotiate the contracts of works awarded to PT Freeport Indonesia so that the government will have a stronger legal base to require the company to respect the rights of the local and to protect the environment.

The call was made by leaders of major local NGOs including Emmy Sahertian, the executive director of the National Solidarity for Papua, Chalid Muhammad of the Mining Advisory Network and Hanze Gebze, the secretary general of the Association of Papuan Students during a meeting in Jakarta on Friday, Suara Pembaruan daily reported on Saturday.

Emmy of the National Solidarity for Papua said that the existing contracts of works awarded to Freeport had ignored the rights of the local people and the environment. "Many Papuan people were dead for nothing due to the lack of protection against their lives and the environment," Emmy added.

According to her, many Amungme people who were used to live in mountainous area have been forced to relocate to the mainland area. "Many of them were dead then due to Malaria," she said.

The NGO leaders also said that they would carry out a street demonstration on Tuesday in Jakarta to protest the operation of major mining companies in Indonesia including Freeport and Rio Tinto. (*)