Release: Newmont concerned over Presdir detention

Jakarta, 2004-09-24 -- Newmont is very concerned with the police decision to detain PT Newmont president director, Rick Ness and manager production & maintenance Phil Turner today (23/9).

PT NMR strongly believes detention is not required for any Newmont employee as the company has insured full cooperation and made all personnel available to the police. Newmont continues to believe that PT NMR?s environmental practices are sound and have not caused environmental damage to Buyat Bay.

The police have earlier on Wednesday (22/9) also detained four other PT NMR?s employees David Sompie, Jerry Kojansow, Putra Wijayatri and Bill Long. The four employees are still in detention although Newmont has submitted a request for detention suspension.

PT NMR fully supports it employees and their families and will continue to aggressively pursue all legal means to secure the release of those detained.

The PT NMR family sends our deepest concerns to our fellow employees and our thoughts are with their families in this time of great stress. (end of release)

Source: Newmont Indonesia