US miner orders workers to stay home after attacks

[Coventina]

Source: AFP

TIMIKA, Indonesia (AFP) — US mining giant Freeport McMoRan's Indonesia subsidiary has ordered hundreds of workers at a huge gold and copper mine in Papua province to stay at home following a spate of deadly shootings.

Freeport's Indonesia spokesman Mindo Pangaribuan said workers who lived near the coastal town of Timika had been ordered not to come to the Grasberg mine, located in the highlands about 65 kilometres (40 miles) from the town.

The order came after three people including an Australian technician were killed in ambushes along the road between Timika and the mine at the weekend, the worst attacks on Freeport workers in Indonesia since 2002.

"This morning we have asked hundreds of our employees to stay home," Pangaribuan said.



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