One Freeport employee shot dead by unidentified gunmen

An employee of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), Feri William, died after being shot in the head by unidentified gunmen at Mile 51 around 1 p.m. on Friday. This was the latest shooting incident that happened in the gold and copper mine area or nearby area, The Jakarta Post reported.

Feri, a driver, was driving three police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers from Mile 68 to Mile 32 lowland. As they passed Mile 51, the car was shot at from the left hand side of the road and Feri sustained a bullet wound oh his head. The three Brimob officers were also injured by splintered glass.

?The victim died at around 4 p.m. at the Kuala Kencana clinic,? Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wachvono told the paper.

PTFI spokesman Ramdani Sirait confirmed he had received reports of the shooting. ?We at FI express our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family? he wrote.

Previously, on Nov. 16, two PT FI employees, Medi Pungus and Makkasau, were slightly injured when the car they were traveling in was shot at by unidentified gunmen at Mile 51.

The series of shootings have caused grave concern among PT FI employees at work and raised tensions. ?We are tired of being haunted by these shootings,? said Lita, a PT FI employee was quoted by the paper. She expressed hope that the Indonesian government could provide better security for workers. (*)