Protesters demand Newmont Minahasa to compensate villagers

Around 100 protesters held a rally at the office of the North Sulawesi provincial governor on Tuesday to demand copper and gold miner PT Newmont Minahasa Raya (PTNMR) to provide compensation for local villagers affected by environmental pollution allegedly done by the company, MinergyNews.Com reported.

The demonstrators, coordinated by Coordination Body for Victims of Newmont Minahasa Raya's Mining, claimed to represent 15 NGOs operating in North Sulawesi.

"The presence of PT NMR has created many problems including environmental damages, deterioration of the economy and damages to people's health," the protesters said in a statement read out during their demonstration.

The protesters said PTNMR's tailings had affected the seawaters in Buyat and Ratatotok villages, killing area fish and causing villagers fall ill.

They demanded the company to soon give compensation to Buyat and Ratatotok villagers.

NMR has since 1996 operated a copper and gold mine in Ratatotok in North Sulawesi's Belkang district. (*)