Freeport’s workers at mining site in Timika – energytoday.com
Jayapura, Jubi – The controversy over Freeport’s requested contract extension has sparked reactions in Papua, including from the local legislators.
A member of the Commission I of the Papua Legislative Council for terrestrial, legal and human rights, government and politic affairs, H. Syamsunar Rasyid questioned whether the contract extension would benefit the people of Papua in general and customary landowners in particular.
“It needs to be considered whether could it benefit the Papuans, in particular the landowners. During the time they have been scarified,” said Rasyid on Monday (7/12/2015).
He also asked the Central Government to read the Papua Autonomy Law carefully. He said the Law has provided authorities to the Papua Provincial Government to manage everything, including the natural resources.
“I question the rights of Papuans, especially after the Special Autonomy Law. We should remember that the Central Government provides the Special Autonomy Law for Papua in the Article 4, that the authority has given to the Provincial Government, except for foreign political policy, security and defense, monetary, fiscal, religion and Judicial Court,” he said. According to him, before negotiating with the Freeport, the Central Government must consult with all stakeholders in Papua, not only with the Provincial Government but also involved the Papua Legislative Council, Papua People’s Assembly and customary landowners.
“Papua has special authority, including the right of tenureship. Is the tenure right of the customary people has been solved? It should be reminded. Do not just argue about the shares, but forget the people’s tenure right,” he said.
He said the current situation is different with the situation before the Special Autonomy Law. He also reminded the Papua Provincial Government to involve the entire relevant stakeholders in solving the Freeport’s issue.
“The purpose is for the welfare of Papuans. I asked the governor, vice governor, Papua Legislative Council, Papua People’s Assembly and the land owners to sit together to discuss about the Freeport’s issue that is now a headline issue in Jakarta,” he said.
Separately, a member of Commission IV of the Papua Legislative Council for mining affairs, Thomas Sondegau said the Central Government should not only think about the distribution of royalties. Now the Moni tribe also demanded compensation. They thought the Freeport’s mining area has crossed their customary land.
“Do not ignore the rights of customary people. The representative of Moni tribe has submitted their aspiration in written to us. We will forward their aspiration to the Chairman of Commission to be submitted to the Chairman of Papua Legislative Council,” he said.
He said before the Freeport’s contract was discussed; the issue of the border of Freeport’s mining area should be clarified. According to him, the area is not belonging to a tribe but several tribes. Moni tribe Chief of Intan Jaya Regency at Papua Provincial level, Agustinus Somau asked PT. Freeport Indonesia to pay 10 percent compensation to his tribe because the Freeport’s mining area has crossed their customary area.
“Moni tribe asked Freeport to pay 10 percent compensation. We have written an official letter to the Papua Legislative Council related to our demand. We submitted it to the Commission IV for mining afffairs,” Somau told on last week. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
