Subject: Re: statement of concern From: "WALHI" Date: Fri, 15 Mar 96 12:15:30 WIB Organization: Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) Statement of Concern The underlying causes of the Timika Riot should be addressed Over the last three days, beginning on Sunday, March 10, till Tuesday, March 12, thousands of Irianese of Waa and Banti as well as of the Timika area stormed and attacked Freeport's security posts, its hospital, Freeport employees houses, and a number of buildings belonging to PT Freeport Indonesia at Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana and Timika. The trigger of the riot was an action committed by Freeport security personnel which led to unrest among the local people. Regardless of the factors that led to the riot, the event reveals prolonged and unsettled problems between Freeport and local tribes people. Contrary to what Freeport has claimed over the years, namely that Freeport has provided the best things to the local people, this riot proves that things are different. This riot was unprecedented. The sabotage at the mine in 1977 was not as massive as this riot. In our community, creating a riot is not a simple job. Moreover, this riot was organized in a very short period of time and involved a large number of people. A riot is easy to fan in a community where the people have resentment and anger over their horrible lives. Thus, we hold to the opinion that: 1. The riots were mainly caused by the suppressed anger among the Irianese people surrounding the Freeport operation which had accumulated for many years. 2. The anger is the direct result of disappointment over Freeport behavior, specifically the human rights violations committed by Freeport security personnel, as a way to protect its careless operation. 3. The anger was fueled more and more by the social and environmental impact of Freeport's operation and the unfair sharing of profits which have mainly benefited non-Irianese people. We hold the opinion that the riot is only a symptom of the ills that are already deeply rooted. Therefore, we demand that: 1. Investigation of the riots should not focus only upon a search for and punishment of the alleged agitators, because that would only address the symptom of the problem, but it would not address the problem itself. The solution must be a comprehensive one that addresses the real problem, that is, the legitimate concern of the local people over Freeport's presence and behavior. 2. Investigation is needed to identify the underlying causes of the riot. This investigation must be carried out by an independent institution. Since KOMNAS HAM has already re-dispatched its team to Irian Jaya (West Papua), herewith we propose that KOMNAS HAM conduct an investigation of the underlying causes of riot. 3. We urge an investigation of the Freeport personnel who sparked the riot. We call upon Freeport to publicly admit that Freeport has problems with the local people and that those remain unsettled. Also, we call upon Freeport to enter into negotiation with the local tribes people concerning land rights, as well as social benefits of the Freeport operation. Jakarta, March 14, 1996 Zulkarnaen Abdul Hakim Zoemrotin Eko Purnomo ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Riot in Timika From: "WALHI" Date: Fri, 15 Mar 96 12:27:19 WIB Organization: Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) INFORMATION SHEET The riot in Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana and Timika (March 10-12 1996) Released by WALHI, ELSAM, LPPS, INFID From March 10 to March 12 riots hit Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana, and Timika, areas surrounding PT Freeport Indonesia. The following is the chronology of the riot. On March 10, the local natives stormed and attacked a number of Freeport facilities, including: Security posts, employees' houses, building offices, and shops in Tembagapura town. On March 11, 1996, the local natives attacked another target: New Town (Kuala Kencana) and the riot was on the way to Timika. On March 1996, the riot had already spread to Timika town, and the number of rioters was getting bigger and it reached about 6 thousand people. Timika airport was closed and all flights were cancelled. The reported damaged in Timika included: Freeport's business incubator office, down(?), business office, Petrosea Bar, Petrosea Shop, the base camp at the airport, and dozens of vehicles. Freeport's office in Kuala Kencana was burned down. Dozens of Freeport vehicles were seized by the people and were frenzily driven around the city. Some of them were burned. One of the vehicles flipped over and killed two teen agers. Two persons were shot on their feet during the riot at the airport. Casualties: two teenagers died of the accident in Timika, they are Anky Yoku (12 years old) and Ronald Paidiban (15 years old). Six others sustained serious injuries. The two persons that were shot on their legs were Jacob Makuker and Enius Tabune. One person of the Aiamaru tribe was stabbed or accidentally stabbed by Buginese people at the Timika market. The participants of the riots: a combination of all Irianese tribes who live in the Waa, Banti, Tembagapura and Timika area, including Freeport's Irianese employees. The Updated Situation (Thursday morning March 14 ) 1. The condition is already calm even though tensions are still felt. The damage is beginning to be repaired. 2. This morning, between 07.00 and 10.30 am, a meeting between 40 delegates representing 12 tribes of Irian who live in Timika, and Jim Moffett, CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Gold and Copper, was held at the Sheraton Indah Hotel in Timika. Present in the meeting were Maj. General Dunidja, the Army Regional Commander and Brig. Gen. Prabowo, the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) Commander, as well as the chief of the provincial legislative body and the provincial government officers. A similar meeting was also held afterward in Tembagapura, between the local natives surrounding the mining town and Jim Moffett. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Riot: Fact to be Verified From: "WALHI" Date: Fri, 15 Mar 96 12:29:20 WIB Organization: Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) Facts that remain to be verified from the riot in Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana and Timika (March 10-12 1996) Released by WALHI, ELSAM, LPPS, INFID The preliminary information available from our friends in Timika and Jayapura by phone and fax reveals that the causes of the riot are as follows: On March 7 1996, a local tribesman named Bagus Kogoya was beaten by two security personnel of PT Freeport Indonesia. The reason for the beatings remains unclear. After, he was badly beaten, he was thrown into the river and was found by an unidentified Freeport expatriate employee who took him to Tembagapura hospital at mile 68. After he awoke, he told this story to his family. Until Wednesday morning was still alive and he remains in the hospital for medical treatment at Tembagapura, and at the moment cannot be visited by our source. On March 8, 1996, a woman from Waa village at Tembagapura was on the way to the shop and was carrying her child for shopping. Suddenly, she was chased by Freeport security guards. As she was trying to escape, she fell and sustained injuries in her head. She came back to her village with blood all over her body. To establish real facts, the above news and reports urgently need further verification through interviewing the eyewitnesses and the victims by an independent commission. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note by Robert S. Boyer. The foregoing is an "English clean up" of the original, which follows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: statement of concern From: "WALHI" Date: Fri, 15 Mar 96 12:15:30 WIB Organization: Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) statement of concern Timika Riot should be addressed at its underlying causess over the last three days, begining on Sunday, March 10, till Tuesday, March 12, thousands of Irianese of Waa and Banti as wel as Timika area stormed and attacked Freeport's security posts, hospital, Freeport employees houses and a number of building belong to PT Freeport Indonesia at Tembagapura, Kuala kencana and Timika. The trigger of the amok was the action commited by Freeport security personeel which led to the unrest among the local people. Regardless the factors that led to the amok/riot, the event has reveals the prolonged and unsettled problem between Freeport and local tribespeople. Contratry to what Freeport has been championed over the years, that Freeport has provided the best things to the local people, this riot has prove the different things. The riot, which is the first and unprecendented . The sabotage being done in 1977 was not as massive as this kind. In ours, creating riots in a community is not simple job and moreover, it is organized in the very short period of time and involving a big number of people. Riost is easy to be fanned in the community where the people has resentment and anger over their horrible lives. Thus, we hold the opinion that : 1. The riots mainly caused by the suppressed anger among the Irianese people sorrounding Freeport operation which have been accumulated for many years. 2. The anger is the direct result of dissapointment over Freeport behaviour. specifically the human rights violation committed by Freeport security personeel and as a way to protect its careless operation 3. The anger was fueled more and more by the social and environment impact of Freeport operation and unfair sharing of profits which at most are benefitted the non- Irianese people. We hold the opinion that the riots is only a symptom of the ills that are already deeply rotted. Therefore, we call (who ?) to : 1. Dealing the riots should not focused only to the search (and punishment ?) for the alleged agitators, that means only addreseed the symptom of the ills, but it does not addressed the ills itself. The solution must be comprehensive by addresing the ills, that is the legitimate concern of the localpeople over the Freeport presence and behaviour. 2. The verification is nedeed to identify the underlying causes of riot. Verification must be carry out by an independent institution. Since KOMNASHAM has already re- dispatch its team to Irian Jaya (West Papua), herewith we propose KOMNASHAM to conduct verifications of the underlying causes of riot. 3. We urge the investigation of the Freeport personeel who sparked the occurrence of riot We call upon Freeport to publicly admitted that Freeport has a problem with the local people and that those are remain unsettled. Also, we call upon Freeport to enter into negotiation with the localtribes people with concern to the rights of land, as well as the social benefit of Freeport operation. Jakarta, March 14, 1996 Zulkarnaen Abdul Hakim Zoemrotin Eko Purnomo ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Riot in Timika From: "WALHI" Date: Fri, 15 Mar 96 12:27:19 WIB Organization: Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) INFORMATION SHEET The riot in Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana and Timika (March 10-12 1996) Released by WALHI, ELSAM, LPPS, INFID >From March 10, to March 12. riots had hit Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana, and Timika, areas surrounding PT Freeport Indonesia. The followings are the chronology of riot. =B7 On March 10, the local natives stormed and attacked a number of Freeport facilities. Among others are : Security posts, employees houses, building offices, and shops in Tembagapura town. =B7 On March 11, 1996, the local natives attacked another target: New Town (Kuala Kencana) and the riot was on the way to Timika. On March 1996 The riot has already spread to Timika town, and the number of rioters were getting bigger and it reached about 6 thousand people. Timika airport was closed and all flights were cancelled. The reported damaged in Timika among others are: Freeport=92s business incubator office, down, bussiness office, Petrosea Bar, Petrosea Shop, Base camp at airport and dozens of vehicles. Freeport=92s office in Kuala Kencana was burned down. Dozens of Freeport vehicles were seized by the people and were frenzily driven around the city. Some of them were burned. One of the vehicle flipped over and killed two teen agers. Two persons were shot on their feet during the riot at the Air port. Casualties : two teen agers died of the accident ini Timika, they are Anky Yoku ( 12 years old) and Ronald Paidiban (15 years old), and six others sustained serious injuries. The two persons that were shot on their legs are Jacob Makuker and Enius Tabune. One person of the Aiamaru tribe was stabbed or accidenly stabbed by Buginese people at Timika market. The participants of the riots : a combination of all Irianese tribe who live ini Waa, Banti, Tembagapura and Timika area, including Freeport=92s Irianese employees. The Update Situation (Thursday morning March 14 ) 1. The condition is already calm even though tense are still felt. The damage begin to be repaired. 2. This morning, between 07.00 untill 10.30 am, a meeting betweem 40 delegates representing 12 tribes of Irian who live in Timika, and Jim Moffet, CEO of Freeport Mc Moran Gold and Copper, was held at Sheraton Indah Hotel in Timika. Present in the meeting were Maj. General Dunidja, the Army Regional Commander and Brig. Gen. Prabowo, the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) Commander, as well as the chief of the provincial legislative body and the provincial gevernment officers. Similar meeting was also held afterward in Tembagapura, between the local natives surrounding the mining town and Jim Moffet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Riot: Fact to be Verified From: "WALHI" Date: Fri, 15 Mar 96 12:29:20 WIB Organization: Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) Facts that remain to be verified from the riot in Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana and Timika (March 10-12 1996) Released by WALHI, ELSAM, LPPS, INFID =20 The preliminary information available from our friends in Timika and Jayapura by phone and fax, it revels that the causes of the riot are as follows : On March 7 1996, a localtribe named Bagus Kogoya has been beaten by two security porsonnel of PT Freeport Indonesia. The reason for the beatings remains unclear. After, he was badly beaten, he was thrown to the river and was found by unidentified Freeport=92s expatriate employee who took him to Tembagapura hospital at miles 68. After he awoke, he told this story to his family. Until Wednesday morning he is still alive and remains in hospital for medical treatment at Tembagapura, and at the moment cannot be visited by our source. On March 8, 1996, a women from Waa village at Tembagapura was on the way to the shop and carrying her child for shopping. Suddenly, she was chased by Freeport=92s security guards. When she was trying to escape, she fell and sustained with injuries in her head. She came back to her village with blood all over her body To established real facts, the above news and reports urgently need further verification through interviewing the eyewitneses and the victims by an independent commision.