Information on the Moffett Building Controversy, November 1995
- "WALHI, a leading Indonesian environmental organization, says these tailings are toxic, killing fish in local rivers and causing river rerouting that has flooded and destroyed adjoining rainforest. Freeport denies that the process is harmful."
- "Freeport's mining site has always been heavily patrolled by Indonesian soldiers. Indeed, the company's contract stipulates that it provide food, transportation, and shelter for government security forces."
- "In this spirit, international NGO's (nongovernmental organizations) including the International Rivers Network, Friends of the Earth, and the Center for International Environmental Law are calling on Freeport to drastically reduce the Indonesian military presence in the area, allow independent environmental monitoring of its operations, and set up an independent mechanism by which local people may air their grievances against the company. Without such steps, people like the Amungme will disappear and be forgotten as swiftly as trade barriers fall."
- "Kirkpatrick, (kirkp@mail.utexas.edu) a professor of zoology, would like to see the building named for Hermann J. Muller, who was a professor at UT in the 1920s and won a Nobel Prize for demonstrating that X-rays cause mutations."
- "`If you want to let 20 people sway the opinions of a university with 50,000 students, you are in deep trouble,' Moffett said."
- "UT President Robert Berdahl said he has told concerned faculty members and others `that we cannot be in the business of censuring contributions to the university based on political persuasion or even how we feel about them, whether financial contributions or intellectual contributions. We do not judge the (contributors) any more than we judge the statements of faculty members we may not agree with,' he said."
- "An Australian diplomatic investigation has confirmed brutal human-rights abuses including murder, torture and rape in Irian Jaya (West Papua), where the local population feels minimum loyalty to Jakarta"
- "The leaked report shows that in July, Australia's ambassador, Allan Taylor and his team of diplomats, military attaches and intelligence officers interviewed victims and witnesses of Indonesian military (ABRI) on human-rights violations since June 1994 near the massive US-owned Freeport mining area in Irian Jaya (West Papua)."
- "'We conservatively estimate therefore that at least 22 people have been killed by ABRI in and around the Freeport concession since June 1994,' the report said."
- "`I believe this issue is of concern to many of our faculty,' said Alan Cline, a professor of computer science and mathematics and former chairman of the Faculty Senate, a predecessor of the Faculty Council, the main faculty organization. `This is a university, and our business is discussion and ideas. We would be happy for Mr. Moffett to visit us on the campus and participate in that discussion,' said Cline, who is also chairman-elect of the UT System Faculty Advisory Council, an organization composed of two representatives from each UT system campus.'"
- "Bill Collier, a spokesman for Freeport, said the company would not respond to invitations through the news media."
- "The agency's (OPIC's) action has stirred `a sense of concern in the faculty' about plans to name a $25 million molecular biology building for the Moffetts, said Christine Maziar, a vice provost and professor of electrical and computer engineering. ... Any time questions of propriety are raised about the university, it's a source of concern to students, staff, and administrators, Maziar said. But if some faculty member are disturbed, the regents are not. ... Regent Tom Loeffler of San Antonio said he had no concerns about Cunningham's relationship with Freeport-McMoRan. `Absolutely none.'"
- Statement on OPIC dipute by Freeport. "The dispute has been submitted to arbitration ... The Company believes OPIC's concerns are not supported by the facts."
- Environmental Statement by Freeport. "PT Freeport Indonesia's (PTFI) copper and gold mining operation in Irian Jaya (West Papua) operates in compliance with Indonesian environmental regulations and is committed to the highest environmental standards in its mining operations. ... This process does not involve any chemical leaching or chemical alteration of the rocks nor does it use cyanide. ... Results of the LTEMP studies show that the river with tailings meets Government of Indonesia water quality standards, as well as US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards for metals. Further, comprehensive biological sampling shows that this river and estuary, with tailings present, have comparable aquatic life (fish, shrimp, etc.) to those nearby rivers which do not have tailings present."
- Statement on Sustainable Development by Freeport. Lists numerous plans and programs in Irian Jaya (West Papua).
- Press statement by Robert E. Boyer (UT professor of geology). "I encountered warm, friendly people who are appreciative of the employment opportunities of the mining operation. I saw a hospital that is open to the public, a new supermarket with very reasonable prices, a modern public school system, and a new mosque which is the pride of the muslim community. All of these things were built and are subsidized by Freeport-McMoRan. I also noted up-to-date programs for monitoring all aspects of the environment associated with the mining operation."
- Press statement by Mark Cloos (UT professor of geology). "Some in Austin have painted the picture that FM has something to hide about its operations in Irian Jaya (West Papua). If this were the case, why would they invite a group of students and faculty with cameras to swarm over every nook and cranny of their operation in search of rock outcrops?"
- "Tension continues to mount in the northern Papua New Guinea town of Vanimo amid reports this week of an Indonesian troop build-up in the area since Irian Jaya (West Papua) rebels raided the Indonesian consulate there last month."
- "Papua New Guinea authorities, however, have been alarmed by radio reports this week of an increase in Indonesian troops near the border at the Wara Bewan military camp in Irian Jaya (West Papua), about six kilometres away from PNG's army base in Schotiau."
- "Bill Collier, spokesman for Freeport-McMoRan, said the move to rename the building is `politically motivated' by people who have their own agenda. `There have been allegations made, and we have strongly denied all of them,' Collier said. He added that the Indonesian Human-Rights Commission found that Freeport was not involved in any human-rights violations." For the semantics of Freeport involvement , see Feld's letter .
- "Harry Cleaver, an associate professor of economics, said the naming amounted to a `sorry prostitution of the University,' to `fat cats'. It's disgusting, because Jim Bob Moffett is the head of a corporation which is in business with the Indonesian government,' which is responsible for the deaths of more than half a million people, Cleaver said."
- "Ed Sharpe, vice president for administration and public relations, said he was not aware of any discussions between administration and faculty members."
- "`[Moffett's] record as the number one polluter of air, water and land of the United States, and the horrible environmental and social impact of his mine in West Papua make it clear that Jim Bob Moffett only cares about making money,' said Neil Tuttrup, Austin Earth First! member.
- "'Who can sit still when they are called a murderer,' said Tom Egan, senior vice president and administrative deputy to the chairman of the New Orleans based company.
- "A report in April by the Australian Council for Overseas Aid, a human-rights group, charged that Freeport security personnel and Indonesian military forces tortured, shot, and killed political opponents of President Suharto."
- "Bishop H. F. M. Munninghoff of the Catholic Church in Jayapura reported in August that three people died under torture and one person was shot to death on Freeport property."
- "`We're not here to defend the Indonesian government,' said Garland Robinette, a Freeport spokesman."
- "The ore body, worth more than fifty billion dollars at current market prices, is estimated to contain over twenty-five billion pounds of copper, forty million ounces of gold, and seventy-five million ounces of silver."
- "`The number detained earlier were tortured until they died, but later arrivals were just interrogated in a normal way.'"
- "A number of international business monitors credit the Indonesian regime with the creation of the world's most corrupt government."
- "The University of Texas must stand by its decision to name a building for the chairman of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. because breaking its word would compromise the `institutional neutrality' that forms the core of academic freedom, UT President Robert Berdahl said Thursday in an open letter." (For the letter, see open letter from President Berdahl.)
- "Berdahl said the naming decision occurred before he arrived at the university."
- "UT students said they have collected more than 3,100 signatures on petitions opposing the naming for Moffett."
- "Ajay Kapoor, a junior majoring in computer science, said:
`Berdahl is turning into the fall guy for this, and Cunningham is getting away scotfree.'"
- "Sherry Boyles, Student Government president, said regents are ignoring the many substantiated accusations against Freeport."
- "'It seems we are saying we will turn our heads and we don't care,' Boyles said. `I am concerned that these allegations will eventually be proved and we will be embarrassed because we were forewarned.'"
- "Sherry Boyles, Student Government president, said administrators need to look more closely at how UT students feel about this issue."
- "'As public interest grows on this, it becomes more and more embarrassing, and a lot of students are realizing that,' Boyles said. `That alone should get the regents' attention.'"
- "Bishop Herman Munninghoff of Jayapura, in the province of Irian Jaya, contradicted accounts by Freeport officials that the company operates in harmony with the indigenous people of the province"
- "'The army has to safeguard the Freeport facilities. By safeguarding that, they violate human rights,' Munninghoff said Friday in a telephone interview."
- "On the question of human-rights violations, Freeport spokesman Bill Collier said: `We're not responsible for any of that. Obviously, some violations did occur and the company regrets that as much as anyone.'"
- "Munninghoff said the Indonesian government in Irian Jaya (West Papua) bore primary responsibility for the human-rights violations and the army bore secondary responsibility."
- This very defensive TV program covers Freeport's activities in Irian Jaya (West Papua), including mining and work with the native population. The OPIC letter and the charges of human-rights abuses are discussed, as is Freeport's withdrawal of an endowment to Loyola University.
- Concerning this program, Austin American-Statesman editor Richard Oppel wrote, "For a good chuckle, watch Freeport PR man Garland Robinette, an ex-TV newsman, describing the dumping of mine tailings into an Indonesian river -- turned coffee-brown by the torrent of sludge. He says it's just like what `Mother Nature' does when sediment flows down the 'ol Mississippi on its way to the Delta. Only faster. Gag."
- We hope someone can provide us the URL to some .mpeg version of this TV program so that folks can see it on the web. If you find one, please tell boyer@cs.utexas.edu.
- "New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. ... has invested $2.8 billion there"
- "Freeport's ore mills dump more than 100,000 tons of gray, dusty tailings into local rivers every day."
- "But young, articulate Amungme say they want Freeport and the Indonesian government to get out of Irian Jaya (West Papua). Many are Freeport employees, such as Silas Natkime, the 30 year-old son of the Waa Valley chief, who earns $380 a month as a Freeport welder. `I don't need money,' says Natkime, who gives his paycheck to friends and family. `I want the river's color back.'"
- "'I think most of the faculty agree with the basic principles the president has enumerated,' said Reuben McDaniel, a professor of management science and information systems and the newly elected chairman of the (faculty) council"
- Some professors want UT System Chancellor William Cunningham to address the issue and fear that Berdahl's job might be at risk if Berdahl becomes too deeply involved in the controversy."
- "`I think the OPIC letter is a crock. I looked at the river and I looked at other rivers nearby and they looked just the same to me. I think Freeport is one of the most environmentally responsible companies in the world,' Chuck Bradford, a mining analyst at Union Bank of Switzerland in New York told IPS. `Mind you, I'm not an environmental expert but I've seen a lot of other mines around the world. I think that OPIC pulled out because of the reports of human rights abuses. But we were told that they happened 90 kilometres away,' he said."
- "`I came away with a very favourable impression from an environmental and social standpoint,' Andrew O'Connor, an analyst at CJ Lawrence, an investment firm in New York, said."
- "The Moffetts and Freeport donated 12 percent of the cost of the Louise and James Robert Moffett Molecular Biology Building ... They provided 75 percent of the privately funded portion. State funds will cover $13 million of the building's cost, student fees will cover $9 million, and private funds will pay $4 million."
- "The molecular biology building is the first academic building for which regents decided that private funding would make up a significant share"
- "Up to dollars 1.7bn (pounds 1.1bn) of British investment is being put into an Indonesian project by London- based mining company Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ). The backing comes despite reports of army torture and murder, and widespread environmental destruction in and around the project in the forest-clad mountains of Irian Jaya (West Papua)."
- "Amnesty International is now calling on the Indonesian Government to 'allow access to all areas of Irian Jaya (West Papua) for international and domestic monitors, including journalists', to guarantee the safety of all witnesses and to prosecute those believed guilty of human rights violations. Amnesty said the report by Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights 'provides damning confirmation of grave violations, at a time when the Indonesian government is continuing to assert domestically and internationally that its human rights record is improving.'"
- "A Catholic bishop who wrote a report on human rights abuses in Indonesia said Tuesday that Freeport-McMoRan is not responsible for violations near its giant copper and gold mine in Indonesia."
- "`There is a different perception about land for local people over here,' Brother Theo (an aide to Bishop Munninghof) said in the tape. `We face tribal people living off the land, feeling, experiencing the land as their own mother. So, if you touch the land, you touch them."
- "At the same time he clarified the report, Munninghof removed a cloud over an English translation of the the paper that activists have distributed worldwide via fax and computer networks. Freeport officials had suggested the content of the report may have been changed in translation to blame the company more than the original version which was written in Bahasa Indonesia. But Munninghof said Tuesday that the Australian version was an `exact translation'."
- "'I do not believe there is a conflict of interest since my role as a director was known to all parties concerned,' Cunningham said earlier this week in a prepared statement."
- "'I certainly think he ought to step down,' said Kathleen Higgins, a professor of philosophy. She added that although Cunningham has to make his own ethical choices, his position on Freeport's board 'certainly raises moral questions. ... There is certainly a perception of a conflict of interest,' Higgins said. `There is a pretty dubious coziness between the chancellor sitting on [Freeport's] board and UT [faculty] conducting research that furthers the interests of that company.'"
- "Cunningham receives about $40,000 from Freeport each year for his services as a board member. He also owns options for more than 47,000 shares of Freeport stock. Freeport stock is now trading for about $39 a share, and its value has doubled in the last year. Cunningham has been awarded 10,000 options for each year he has served on Freeport's board. " (47,000 x $20 = $940,000.)