Doug Lewin, Columnist
Daily Texan
February 8, 1996

Freeport-McMoRan's karmic woes appear almost daily in the local newspapers. Obscure mentions of environmental and human rights abuses continually appear, yet it is unclear exactly what these atrocities entail. Thus, in order that the UT community be more informed, it is time to engage in a constructive dialogue between Freeport executives, UT administrators, faculty, and students.

Jim Bob Moffett is quoted as saying, "I don't have a problem with debate at all. Hell, I think debate is healthy." Yet there has been no organized debate or dialogue open to the entire UT community.

The process of open dialogue must start immediately. The goal must be to improve the conditions for the oppressed peoples of Irian Jaya (West Papua) -- not to place blame. Finger-pointing is counter-productive. Too many people are suffering for us to be wasting our time with such nonsense.

UT President Robert Berdahl, in his Letter to the University Community, wrote that "there are concerns at the heart of this matter that are in danger of being overlooked." While different people have differing concerns over this issue, they are all important. To probe the depths of these legitimate concerns, dialogue is absolutely essential.

What are some of these concerns? The indigenous people of Irian Jaya (West Papua) have no rights. The freedoms that we take for granted here, including speech, religion, assembly, and press, have all been denied to anyone opposed to General Suharto.

Jeffrey Winters, author and contributor to Current History, wrote an in-depth article for last December's issue, titled "Suharto's Indonesia: Prosperity and Freedom for the Few." In it, Winters wrote that "the vast majority of the population lives in fearful silence, ever mindful of the many occasions on which Suharto has demonstrated his willingness to deal swiftly and brutally with [the] opposition."

What sort of brutality would prompt fear from the indigenous people? Consider this account from a report issued by the Catholic Church of Jayapura, August 1995: "Various forms of torture were applied. ... Physical torture consisted of kicking in the belly, chest, and head with army boots; beating with fists, rattan, sticks, rifle butts and stones; denial of food. ... The torture caused bleeding head wounds, swollen faces and hands, bruises, loss of consciousness, and death. ..."

This is unacceptable. Freeport-McMoRan and its executives and employees must take greater responsibility for the well-being and safety of the indigenous people of Irian Jaya (West Papua).

It is time to stop printing advertisements and holding press conferences and protests.

It is time to open a dialogue aimed at ameliorating the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Irian Jaya (West Papua). This is an appeal to Freeport's sense of justice.

Its response (or lack thereof) will prove to the world if indeed it has one.

Lewin is a junior in humanities.