Indonesian Mining Protest Turns Deadly - ENS

[hatrack]

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"The Toguraci protected forest on the Indonesian island of Halmahera is one of 22 areas in Indonesia where mining interests, with the backing of the Australian government, are pressing the Indonesian government to overturn a ban on open-cut mining in protected forests.

The arrest of the three men - Reynold Simanjuntak, Asrul Hisuaibun and Fahri Yamin - occurred early on the morning of January 7 during a demonstration by some 850 protesters from the Kao and Malifut communities against the gold mine operating in a protected forest. Having given prior notice to the local police of the planned protest, they were met at the mine by the Mobile Brigade riot police, known in Indonesia as Brimob.

According to community sources, shortly afterwards one of the Brimob officers directed the unarmed protestors to sit on the ground, which they did. He fired three warning shots into the ground at the feet of the protesters and then, at a range of approximately three meters, shot and killed community activist, Rusli Tungkapi, 30. Many in the protest group were then beaten and arrested. All but three now have been released.

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The Melbourne based mining company, Newcrest, and the Australian government both lobbied Indonesian government ministers to deal with the protestors after the mine site was shut down for five weeks in October and November 2003. Both are unrepentant. Newcrest General Manager of Corporate Affairs Peter Reeve acknowledges and defends the company's payment of US$35,000 a year for the 65 man Brimob unit for its services in protecting the mine. “We pay upkeep and an expenses type service fee,” he said."

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http://forests.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=29232