1) Reconstruction is necessary to track the implementation of Special Autonomy in Papua

2) Indonesia targets closure of Freeport deal in December -official 

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http://tabloidjubi.com/eng/reconstruction-is-necessary-to-track-the-implementation-of-special-autonomy-in-papua/

1) Reconstruction is necessary to track the implementation of Special Autonomy in Papua

Published 16 hours ago on 17 October 2018 By pr9c6tr3_juben

Papua Civil Servants held protest in 2016 to support Governor’s statement to return the special autonomy ‘s fund to Jakarta – Jubi

Jayapura, Jubi – A lecturer International Relations of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Cenderawasih Laus D.C. Rumayom asserted that reconstruction might be crucially important for evaluating the implementation of the Special Autonomy in Papua.

According to him, the reconstruction might help to assess achievements and obstacles occurred since the Special Autonomy Law applied in Papua since 2001.

“Some people say it works, whereas some say it doesn’t. But what the measure is? What does it look of its relationships with international politics?” Rumayom told Jubi on Thursday (10/11/2018).

Moreover, he said we would find out whether indigenous Papuans understand the situation after 18 years of the implementation of Special Autonomy and the map of future development.

“Therefore you might able to say that the indigenous Papuans should not become a beggar. We must have a strong principle of maintaining what has become a political contract through the Special Autonomy,” he said.

However, he said it is undeniable that the indigenous Papuans are facing social and cultural degradation. He took an example of seven tribes who are the landowners of PT. Freeport Indonesia’s mining area that has no power to voice their rights on gold and copper mine.

“Yet the outsiders talk about it, even though they have no relations at all with the family or the lands or another else,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director of LP3BH Manokwari Yan Christian Warinussy recently said the government need to promptly encourage and promote a thorough evaluation of the implementation of the Special Autonomy policy to see and answer a series of questions over the past ten years.

“The evaluation is aimed to find a policy breakthrough for stakeholders, including the government’s role so that it could thoroughly protect their citizens,” said Warinussi. (*)

Reporter: Arjuna Pademme

Editor : Pipit Maizier

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https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/17/reuters-america-indonesia-targets-closure-of-freeport-deal-in-december-official.html

2) Indonesia targets closure of Freeport deal in December -official 

Published 8 Hours Ago Reuters

JAKARTA, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Indonesia's state-owned miner Inalum is looking to finalize a $3.85 deal for majority control of the local unit of global mining giant Freeport McMoRan Inc in December, a company official said on Wednesday.

The deal, in which Inalum will control a 51.23 percent stake in PT Freeport Indonesia, is expected to end more than nine years of wrangling between Freeport and Indonesia over ownership rights to Grasberg, the world's second-biggest copper mine.

However, the planned transactions are still subject to the issue of environmental recommendations and a special mining permit (IUPK) by the Indonesian government, Inalum Chief Executive Budi Gunadi Sadikin told parliament.

"(Freeport Indonesia) is continuing to lead discussions with the Environment and Forestry Ministry," Sadikin said. "We hope this can be completed as quickly as possible."

A 2017 report by Indonesia's Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) referred to an estimate that Freeport's decades-long operations at the mine in Indonesia's remote easternmost province of Papua had caused environmental damage worth $13.25 billion.

That damage, it said, was largely a result of tailings from the mine that had extended beyond previously agreed limits and which had polluted coastal areas.

In April, in follow-up action to the audit, the environment minister issued two decrees that gave Freeport six months to overhaul the management of tailings from Grasberg. One of the decrees said Freeport would be barred from any activities in areas that lack environmental permits.

These matters have complicated the issue of a new mining permit for Grasberg, which would be held by Inalum.

Freeport Indonesia Executive Director Tony Wenas said his company was fully compliant with Indonesian environmental impact rules. Freeport hoped "in the near future the Environment and Forestry Ministry issues a policy" related to Grasberg, he said.

"We are discussing several options," Wenas said, referring to the possibility of reducing tailings sediment, methods for tailings removal and expansion of mangrove wetlands, among other options.

Last month, Freeport and its Grasberg mining partner Rio Tinto struck a binding accord to sell a majority stake in Grasberg to Inalum.

At that time, Sadikin said the transactions would be concluded in November. (Reporting by Wilda Asmarini Writing by Fergus Jensen; editing by David Evans)

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