The government will create an inter-ministry team to resolve long-standing salary and security problems involving mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia, according to a minister.
“The problems of Freeport cannot be separated from their substance, namely the absence of agreement on wages. This is the domain of the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry,” Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Zahedy said that the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry would focus on the negative impact of Freeport on the environment and technology.
Clashes between striking workers and the National Police would come under the aegis of Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto, Zahedy said.
“The coordinating minister has taken a number of steps to get rid of the security problems,” Zahedy said.
Meanwhile, a councilor in Papua said that Freeport should be held responsible for the shooting death of striking worker Petrus Ayamiseba, who was killed when workers and police clashed on Monday at the Gorong-Gorong bus terminal in Timika.
“Freeport must be held responsible and immediately resolve all the consequences of the incident,” Papua legislative council Commission A chairman Ruben Magai told reporters in Jayapura on Tuesday.
Freeport was acting as if the company was not responsible for the incident, since the clash was between workers and police officers, Ruben said — despite the almost month-long dispute between management and striking All-Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI) members.
“Had the issue between the management and SPSI been immediately resolved, the problem would not have intensified. It is an internal problem. Why must Freeport involve other parties to resolve it?”
Reuben wanted Freeport to settle the labor dispute immediately, separate from the shooting.
“Please open a room for dialogue to discuss the deadlock. The issue is like a misunderstanding between a father and child. It must be resolved amicably,” he said.
Papua legislative council speaker, John Ibo, said the government should step in to resolve the dispute, given its mining concession contract with Freeport. “The central government is expected to play a central role in resolving the issue.”
Ibo asked the police not to use excessive force to resolve protests and made a plea for calm. “I urge members of the public to abide by the regulations so everything can proceed peacefully despite the protests,” Ibo said.
Petrus has not been buried pending demands from his family for an investigation.
“The body has not yet been buried as the family is demanding that authorities settle the issue first,” union spokesman Juli Parorrongan said in a text message sent to The Jakarta Post.
Juli added that the union was trying to gather all parties for a dialogue to be mediated by the Mimika legislature.
The union demanded on Tuesday that Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Bigman Lumban Tobing and the Timika Police chief be suspended after Monday’s clash.
Speaking at a demonstration in front of National Police headquarters in Jakarta, union representative Dorus Wakum said the pair were responsible for Petrus’ death.
“The police should have protected the people instead of shooting them,” he said.