Security at Freeport intensified

Security at the gold mining site of the giant PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura, West Papua, is being intensified amid rumors of a planned attack by the OPM separatist group, according to the Jakarta-based Suara Karya daily.

The paper quoted Timika Police chief Sumarjiyo as saying that the police had been approaching the local villagers to anticipate the attack. The police had also made coordination with the military.

Freeport is controlled by the U.S. giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold. The company operates a vast gold mining site in the West Papua province which has seen growing separatist movement.

Several mining and oil and gas companies have complained about deteriorating security condition in their operational areas in remote regions.(*)