Walhi distributes 10,000 questionnaires on Freeport

The Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) has distributed 10,000 questionnaires in the form of post cards to various parts of the country, in an effort to garner public supports to force copper and gold miner in West Papua PT Freeport Indonesia to observe the environment and re-negotiate its contract with the government.

Copies of the questionnaires were sent to President Abdurrahman Wahid, House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung and State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf.

In the questionnaires, Walhi demanded the government and the House to initiate efforts to launch an independent audit on Freeport's environmental management and re-negotiate the contract of works with Freeport.

According to Walhi, so far the company has neglected the environment and never touched the roots of the problem. Freeport even used money and political intimidation against the government.

Walhi also said that Freeport must also be held responsible for the killing and torture of local people by Indonesian military deployed to safeguard Freeport's mining sites.

Walhi said Freeport had robbed the land of Amungme and Komoro people in Papua for the last 30 years, and it even destroyed the sacred mountains, which had become the source of income for local people.

At least five mountains had been razed by Freeport, and lakes in Wanagon valley had been covered by Freeport's tailing. Walhi said Freeport had disposed around 291,000 tons of tailing to Ajkwa River, the main river for local people. At end of its contract of works, Freeport is expected to dispose around 2.7 billion tons of tailing.

The government's Environmental Impact Management Agency's (Bapedal) Papua branch has stated that Freeport Indonesia has destroyed environment over an area of 133,000 hectares. (*)