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Timika, Jubi – The Amungme Community leader in Mimika, Papua Andreas Anggaibak, insisted that local authorities do not have any right to manage the partnership funds of PT Freeport Indonesia aimed at empowering indigenous Amungme and Kamoro.
“Mimika regent Eltinus Omaleng planned to take over the management of one percent of funding partnership of PT Freeport. I reiterate, the fund will not be taken over by other parties, including the government of Mimika,” Anggaibak said in Timika on last week.
Former chairman of Mimika Legislative Council (DPRD) 2000-2004 period, said the partnership fund of PT Freeport which used to be called as one percent of funds is the right of society. The fund, he said, should fully managed by the community itself, not by the government.
“The fund is the result of the struggle of the community since 14 years ago. I reiterate that whoever does not have the right to take over percent of funds, “said Anggaibak.
He then questioned the intention of Mimika regency who want to take over the management of the partnership fund of PT Freeport which has been administered by the Community Development Institute Amungme and Kamoro (LPMAK).
According to him, Mimika regency already have a very large budget allocation which is Rp2.2 trillion in fiscal year 2015. he continued with a huge budget allocations, it should have been able to push the Mimika regency motion pace of development of society up to the villages.
“If a very large fund is managed well, it will certainly be able to improve the welfare of the people of Mimika,” said Anggaibak.
Ironically, even though Mimika has the largest budget allocation in Papua, until now people have not fully prosper.
“In fact the people can see the development because there is support from LPMAK programs,” he explained.
He further explained the struggle to obtain one percent of funds from the gross revenue of PT Freeport in the 1990s took times and sacrificing, even it had to go through the courts in the United States.
Among the people, especially the Amungme tribe, also split into two groups when talking about the fund. There was one group that wanted to receive funds amounting to 10 percent of the gross revenue of PT Freeport. Meanwhile, other group led by Andreas Anggaibak itself through Amungkal Foundation agreed to accept the allocation of one percent of the gross revenue of PT Freeport.
“I served as the first director of Amungkal foundation won one percent funding dispute through the courts in the United States. Since it was a court ruling, I reiterated one percent of funds can not be transferred. I do not want just because because of funding one percent of the Amungme people split up, “he said.
Since 1996, the institution that manages funds one percent of PT Freeport has been repositioned and restructured several times.
Initially it was called the Integrated Regional Development Timika (PWT2), then in 1999 called Irian Jaya Community Development Organization (LPM-Irja) and in October 2002 again changed its name becoming LPMAK.
“LPMAK continue its programs that have been initiated since PWT2 and LPM-Irja. LPMAK implement health, education and development of the people’s economy, as well as providing financial support for the traditional institutions. The development that we can see today, because of LPMAK programs, while the government is not visible, “Anggaibak stated with a critical tone. (*)
