Students demand scholarship from Freeport

Tens of Papua youths staged a demonstration in Jakarta and Bandung demanding copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia expands its scholarship program.

The youths called on the company to provide scholarship to all ethnic groups living in the "bird head" area rather only to the Komoro and Amungme ethnic tribes who live around the company's copper and gold mine in the Grasberg area.

The "bird head" area covers all the western part of the Indonesian part of the Papua Island. Other tribes living in the area are Dani, Moni, Dunggai, Damai and Ekari.

Spokesman of the demonstrators Jack Pigay said Freeport had provided scholarship to 100 students of Komoro and Amungme, but thus far given nothing to the youths from other ethnic groups.

The youths sought to meet Freeport's top management in the company's Jakarta office but they were denied entry to the office.

Freeport's spokesman Sidharta Mursyid said the scholarship program was no longer handled by the company but the Irian Jaya Community Development Institute headed by Mimika regent, two company officials, tribal leaders and youth leaders.

"They decide who is eligible for the scholarship," Sidharta said, adding the company allocates one percent of its sales to the institute founded in 10 years ago. (*)