LEMBAGA MUSYAWARAH ADAT SUKU AMUNGME (LEMASA)
Jl. P. Magal No. 13, Kel. Kwamki Baru, Timika, PAPUA. Tel: 0901-322383; Fax: 0901-322472

URANAWANGAMKAL 1 (RESOLUTION) ON THE LAWSUIT AGAINST FREEPORT

The Amungme Tribal Consultative Council at its Traditional Consultative Meeting, the highest body of the Council, held in Timika from 7 till 13 December 1998, which was attended by all the members and leaders of LEMASA (Nol Naisorei, Nerek Naisorei, and Amungme Naisorei) from the Amungsa region in the Central Papua Highlands, believes that it is becoming increasingly important for the parties involved in the dispute between PT Freeport Indonesia (Freeport) and the Amungme people (LEMASA) to devote attention to the issue.

Up to today, the mining subsidiary of the giant US corporation Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc has failed to make any serious attempt to reach a just solution to the demands of the Amungme people arising from the many sufferings that have resulted from the activities of Freeport on our ancestral land.

The many protests and other acts of resistance by the Amungme people towards Freeport have been treated as nothing more than a 'joke' by Freeport. Freeport has never taken seriously the sufferings and human rights violations that have occurred as a result of the exploitation of the natural resources on our land.

The LEMASA Traditional Consultative Meeting, speaking on behalf of all Papuans living in the region of Amungsa, therefore categorically states the following:

1. The lawsuit in the New Orleans District Court in the State of Louisiana, USA was lodged by Tom Beanal and Yosefa Alomang on behalf of all the people inhabiting the Amungsa land who have all suffered a similar fate. This lawsuit is an integral part of the struggle being waged by LEMASA to expose the many human rights abuses, the degradation of the environment and the robbery of our ancestral land that has occurred in the Amungsa region as a result of the mining operations of Freeport.

2. It urges Freeport to enter into honest and fair negotiations on an equal footing with LEMASA as the representative of the whole community which has been victimised by Freeport.

3. During these negotiations, LEMASA should be accompanied by its lawyer, Martin E. Regan Jr and others as approved by LEMASA, acting as consultants.

4. The lawsuit will continue to be pressed until such time as a comprehensive, honest and fair solution has been reached between the parties, on an equal footing

5. If Freeport continues to fail to show that it is seriously seeking to reach such a solution, LEMASA will use all peaceful means at its disposal TO HALT ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF FREEPORT IN THE AMUNGSA REGION.

This resolution was signed by all the members and leaders of LEMASA

Timika, Papua Sabtu, 12 December 1998.

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