Vale asks police to investigate Bahudopi camp burning incidence

President director of PT Vale Indonesia Tbk, formerly known as PT Inco Tbk, Nico Kanter has asked the police in Central Sulawesi to investigate the burning of a mining camp in the company?s mining site at Bahudopi, Morowali regency in the province.

"We will soon report the incident to the police so that they could carry out investigation as soon as possible,? he said quoted by Antara.

The company respected the people?s rights to express their protests against the mining company, but the act of burning the mining camp could not be tolerated, he said, adding that the company was always open for negotiations with the protesters to avoid violence.

A mob of people damaged and set a fire on Vale?s mining camp in Bahudopi as they protested the company?s mining operation in the area. The people staged street demonstrations as the company did not heed the local residents? demand to the company to build a nickel processing plant in the area as stated in the company?s mining contract.

The people have for several times launched street protests against the company in the past, not only due to Vale?s reluctance to build the processing plant, but also due to many other reasons such as lack of the company?s commitment to develop its mining sites.

The company has secured thousands of hectares of land for mining development but the larger part of the concession areas has been left undeveloped. The people also complained that the company paid little attention to the community, especially related to electricity supply. The company operates a larger power plant in the area but let many parts of the area remain without electricity. People demand the miner to share its power supply with the local people.

Morowali Regent, Anwar Hafid said that the burning of the mining camp reflected the accumulation of the people?s diappointment because the company had not realized its plan to build the processing mill.

"The people have staged a number of demonstrations during the past several weeks at the offices of the legislative council, regent and the company. They ask Inco to soon realize its plan to build the processing plant as stated in the contract, but it has not been realized,? he added. (*)