Foreign-Owned Oil and Mining Companies Become Target of Protests.
10:19 AM Posted by National Liberation Party Of Unity (PAPERNAS)
On March 16, workers from the Indonesian National Workers' Front of Struggle (FNPBI) carried out their action demanding the "nationalization of mining industries for workers' welfare" in front of INCO’s office in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province. Dozens of workers from Nuansa Cipta Magello Company, Mega Putra Sejahtera Company, Cahaya Cemerlang Company and students from National Student League for Democracy (LMND) marched for about 500 meter from Inco’s office carrying banners of demands written: Industrialization is the best way to solve the economic crisis! Never let foreign interest colonize our land! Enough being nation of coolie, rise up to become a self-sufficient nation! National industrialization for workers's welfare and decent wage!
Under the scorching hot sun, speakers enthusiastically stressed the urgency for the nation to nationalize foreign-owned mining companies that have plundered natural wealth and exploited workers with low wages. The action that was lead by a protest leader, Ros, went very orderly and was filled with speeches that explicitly urged the Indonesian government to meet their demands.
Students staged theatrical protest performance.
On Wednesday, April 4, dozens of students from the National Students' League for Democracy (LMND) staged a theatrical protest in front of Exxon Mobil's office in Jakarta and demanded that the government nationalize foreign-owned oil companies. The performance, as a part of LMND's nationalization campaign that began since the end of February, also demanded the revocation of the foreign capital investment law and oil and gas regulation that has opened the door wider to indiscriminate exploitation of Indonesia's natural resources.
The protest leader, Adikara, said that by exploiting Indonesia's natural wealth, Exxon gains profit at the rate of around 12 million rupiahs (about US$ 1200) per second in the midst of millions of Indonesian poor.
The government, according to him, must immediately issue a presidential decree to nationalize foreign mining industries. The constitution rules that the government nationalize companies that control people's livelihood. "This is the mandate of the constitution" he said. "If the government is afraid to do it, at least renegotiate oil and mining contracts that have hurt the people."
While the protest was livened up by theatrical performance, protesters yelled chants "nationalization, solution to poverty" and held posters titled "Exxon out of Indonesia". LMND also emphasized the importance of a universal free education service.
Enviromental and students groups press municipal government to stop mining companies.
Back to South Sulawesi's, in its third biggest city, Palopo, an environmental coalition made up of NGOs, mass organisations, and student groups - Communities Concerned about Palopo City Environment - suffered from harsh state repression on April 8 when protesting against gold mining operation in the city's outskirts. Five students were badly injured when the police attacked the protest.
The repression happened when representatives of the coalition were in the middle of a negotiation to get an audience with members of the municipal parliament. After police stopped beating and chasing, protesters regrouped and returned to the parliament condemning police brutality and exposing evidences of government's collusion with the mining companies.
Since April 2005 the London-based Avocet Mining Plc and a joint venture of the local-owned PT Frantika and South Korean PT Seven Energy Group, were given municipal permit to mine gold in mount Siguntu. The area is known for its steep hill, beautiful scenery and Latuppa river - known by the local as their source of water.
Underground tunnels that the locals made to mine gold had caused several mud slides since 2001, fortunately without any casualty.
Since the beginning, the locals have rejected the operation of mining companies. However, the municipal officials have enthusiastically promoted them and even made promises to the people that roads and infrastructure will be built. The promises turned to be another lies while mining operation have caused the loss of more than 7,3 hectares of conservation forest, the destruction of several streams and rivers, toxic waste, and the potential loss of productive land.
According to an investigation carried out by the coalition, the companies have violated the exploration permit and state legislation because they have mined in a forest conservation area, cleared the forest without any permission from nor compensation to the landowners, have not informed the locals about their exploration permit, and do not meet the environmental requirements.
Confronted with the evidences, some were audio visual recordings, the head of the parliament received representatives of the protesters and promised them that he would conduct an investigation to the mining site and confirm the evidences, although actually he is one of the state officials who signed the permit in the first place.
The dialog reached a deadlock but due to Police threat and intimidation the protesters decided to end the day and plan the next protest.
The statement on Newmont acquittal
5:03 AM Posted by National Liberation Party Of Unity (PAPERNAS)
It is increasingly clear that the attitude and actions of the SBY-JK government do not have a character of national sovereignty. The judge’s verdict in the judication of the case of environmental pollution in Buyat bay by the Newmont Minahasa Raya company was to exonerate this company. It was not proven that they committed environmental crimes on the basis of a limited investigation by CSIRO, WHO and the National Minamata Institute. The verdict was confirmed by the Judges’ council in the Manado state court without considering additional data that is more objective, despite the fact the Newmont has clearly committed environmental crimes in the process of mining.
Below is evidence that strengthens the conclusion drawn above:
* Based on the report by the ASEAN Marine Water Quality Criteria 2004 that lists arsenic and mercury as being present in the Buyat bay.
* The arsenic content in the drinking water has exceeded the acceptable level set by the minister for health.
* Based on the report by residents of Buyat Pante that found medical complaints of skin irritation, cramping and lumps and swelling on the residents of the area of Buyat. The same lumps have also been observed on the local fish that are caught by the Buyat fishermen.
* Based on Newmont’s own Environmental management plan and environmental monitoring plan: Before waste is emitted into the Bay of Buyat, the tailings waste from Newmont already exceeds the acceptable levels that have been set. These documents show that there have been at least 121 cases where it has occurred that arsenic, mercury, silver, iron, manganese and cyanide have exceeded the acceptable limits that have been determined by the environment ministerial decree LH no. 51/MENLH/10/1995 attachment C and acceptable limits for tailings that have been set by the state environmental minister’s decree
* Based on a company report, Newmont has also been proven to not have permission to dump tailings waste into the sea during the period 2001 until 2004.
* Based on the report of the investigation by Indonesian police headquarters and the findings of the integrated team that manage the pollution of Buyat bay, it has been proven that a variety species of phytoplankton and other microorganisms in the area of Newmont’s tailings removal in Buyat bay are experiencing significant disturbance such that they have been categorized as experiencing heavy pollution.
* Based on the government report on environmental monitoring (2004) and Evan and Edinger, from Memorial University, the concentration of iron, arsenic and antimony in front of the mouth of the pipe is extremely high compared to other research stations in other regional waters of Indonesia.
From the data we see above, there is adequate evidence to determine that PT Newmont has violated Government Regulation regarding management of B3 and also the multilateral agreement on investment.
Although various regulations have already placed the owners of the Newmonrt company in the position of being guilty of environmental destruction, the position of the government is precisely as if the opposite is the case. In this case the government is two faced. On one side the government announced that Buyat bay had been polluted by tailings from the Newmont company but on the other side the health department that is under the authority of the Minister of health simply allows Newmont’s claims to stand, based on the appearance of facts that are the result of limited studies by CSIRO, WHO and the National Minamata Institute. Worse again, the government is silent when the Newmont company makes public lies by building a campaign around the results of these limited studies that mention that the Buyat bay is not polluted by tailings waste.
In addition in the years 2001-2004 the government through the office of the minister for the environment did not express any position with regards to the Newmont company who were dumping waste into the ocean without government authorisation.
Enough is enough! The evidence is already complete. The Newmont company has been proven to have committed environmental crimes but the government does not care about these crimes. This means that the government is also involved in destroying the environment and robbery of a comfortable life for the people of Buyat. In light of this situation PAPERNAS states that:
The SBY-JK government is not a pro-people’s government but rather a pro-imperialist government.
Because of this we declare:
1. So that the citizens surrounding Buyat and the victims of the greed of the Newmont company organize themselves to continue their struggle to maintain the rights of the people.
2. So that all democratic elements the pro people elements at both national regional and international level give their support and solidarity to the people of Buyat,
3. The relocation of the citizens of Buyat Pante.
4. Free education and health for the people Buyat Pante.
5. Implement a public court hearing that is free from forein intervention.
6. Arrest, bring to justice and seize the wealth of the government and court bureaucracy who are involved in collusion and maipulation in the case of the Newmont company.
7. Take over the Newmont company for the prosperity of the people and the salvation of the environment.
8. Employment and cheap quality housing.
9. Abolish the foreign debt.
10. Build national industry.
Jakarta, 25 April 2007