Residents illegally occupy Newcrest?s mining site

At least 300 local residents have illegally occupied the mining site of PT Nusa Halmahera Mineral in Halmahera, North Maluku in a protest against the company?s lack of commitment to protect the local environment, Republika daily reported on Monday.

The residents who illegally entered the mining site on May 21 demanded the mining company to leave the mining area and pay a compensation for the rehabilitation of the environment, which has been damaged by the company.

A staff of non-governmental organization Walhi Erwin Usman said that the local residents were also angry toward the local police who attacked them during an earlier protest in January.

Newcrest holds 82.5 percent equity in PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals, which runs the gold mines, while state miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk, holds the remaining 17.5 percent.

He said Newcrest had recruited members of the elite police unit, Brimob, to protect the Australian company against the people?s protest. ?Newcrest paid them,? he said.

Erwin also accused that Newcrest had also hired security company from Australia to protect the company. (*)