Papuans wants a new name for Freeport

The natives living around the copper and gold mines of PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika area in Irian Jaya proposed the company be renamed PT Freeport Papua Barat, Cenderawasih Post reported.

The paper said the natives made the proposal on Thursday during a meeting with visiting legislators who were on visit to the area as part of the efforts to gather information on the operation of the company.

The visit followed a spate of criticism launched by some legislators, non-governmental organizations against the company.

The meeting became a forum for the local community and church leaders to express the disappointment over Freeport's operation.

The recipient of the Human Rights Award Mama Yosefa Alomang said she did not believe that the legislators would be able to solve the problems faced by the locals living around the copper and gold mines.

Protestant priest Ishak proposed Freeport Indonesia be renamed Freeport Papua Barat and demanded all the military members be pulled out of the area.

A villager identified as Leo deplored Freeport's lack of care for the education of the local people, saying only few children of the Kamoro and Amungme tribes people, who live around Freeport's copper and gold mine, had received scholarship from the company.

Leo also deplored the fact that few schools had been built in the area, adding the local children had to go to the high school located far away from their houses.

Another villager named Viktor Benal proposed Freeport to be closed. (*)