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One shot dead, hundred arrested and beaten at Newcrest mine in North Maluku
Thursday 08 January 2004
On January 07, 2004, a peaceful protest by community members in North Maluku at Newcrest Mining’s PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals Toguraci site ended in tragedy, as Brimob shot and killed one, and approx a hundred and subjected them to further police brutality. At least a hundred from the Kao and Malifut communities were involved in a demonstration in the Toguraci protected forest where illegal mining activities have been undertaken by PT NHM, a company 90% owned by Newcrest Mining of Australia.The communities were met on-site by dozens of members of the BRIMOB, acting as security for the mining company, who shot at the protestors killing one on site, and rounding up approx a hundred for questioning at the company security post, where they were beaten. Six remain under arrest at the North Maluku police office in Ternate.
PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals/Newcrest (Australia) has been conducting open cut mining operations at the Toguraci protected forest since May, in clear violation of Indonesian Forest Law 41/1999, which bans open-cut mining in protected areas. Forestry Department officials have confirmed that the company has not been exempted from this law.
Therefore we, in solidarity for the Kao and Malifut Communities, hereby :
1. Condemn the brutal action perpetrated by the BRIMOB commander, Badarudin/IPDA, with approximately 100 of his personnel. It is a gross human rights violation against Indonesian citizens;
2. Urge the Indonesian Police Chief, General Da’i Bachtiar, to immediately withdraw all paramilitary forces from Halmahera, North Maluku; release those unlawfully arrested; and return the body of the murdered to his family;
3. Urge the Indonesian Police Chief, General Da’i Bachtiar, to fire the BRIMOB commander, Badarudin/IPDA, North Maluku Police Chief Andi B. Sky; Kao District Chief of Police Alex Hutaubun/IPTU; and prosecute all parties involved in the violence.
4. Urge the National Human Rights Commission to immediately send an investigation team to the mining site PT. NHM/Newcrest;
5. Urge the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), the local government, and all parties to maintain objectivity in the conflict between the community and PT NHM/Newcrest, and not turn it into an religious/ethnic issue;
6. Urge the central government to order PT. NHM/Newcrest to leave North Maluku.
Solidarity for Kao and Malifut Communities, North Maluku:
LBH Rakyat, ELSAM, TAPAL, KONTRAS, AMAN, SKEPHI, PBHI, TAPAK Ambon, Kao and Malifut Communities, and Coalition against Mining in Protected Areas (JATAM; WALHI; ICEL; WWF Indonesia; Kehati; PELANGI; Forest Watch Indonesia; Mineral Policy Institute; POKJA PSDA; Jaring Pela)
Media contacts:
Nur Hidayati -- (WALHI - Friends of the Earth Indonesia)-– +62-(0)812 99 72 642 /+62-21-794 1672
Siti Maimunah – (Mining Advocacy Network-JATAM) -– +62-(0)815 9290370 /+62-21-791 81683
Igor O’Neill – (Mineral Policy Institute, Australia) -– +62-(0)812 8612286 /+62-21-791 93363
Ikono -- (from the Kao and Malifut communities) -– +62-(0)816 811513
For more information, please contact:
Igor O'Neill
Workphone: +62 21 794 1672
Mobile: +62 81 286 12 286
Created: 09 Jan 2004 | Last updated: 09 Jan 2004
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