2) No military operation in Nduga district: Papua police chief
3) Freeport divestment through IPO only benefits wealthy businessmen
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1) West Papua Liberation Army destroys digger in renewed violence
8:34 pm on 1 March 2019
The attack on Istaka Karya's operations in Nduga regency follows the killing of at least 16 of its employees there by the Liberation Army in December. The Liberation Army has claimed the staff were actually Indonesian military in disguise.
In the aftermath of the massacre, hundreds of Indonesian military and police forces deployed to the area in a hunt for the armed group.
Military spokesman Colonel Muhammad Aidi said Liberation Army fighters burned an already-broken excavator in Yigi district and fired shots in the area.
He said when military soldiers arrived, the rebels fled without a gunfire exchange.
A spokesperson for the Liberation Army, Sebby Sambon, disputed this account, saying an unknown number of military and police were injured in a shootout which took place on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
However, he said he had only received an initial and unverified report from Liberation Army officials.
Mr Sambon said the battle took place after an ultimatum the Liberation Army gave to the military and police, which included demands that all non-Papuans leave Nduga and that Indonesia's flag be lowered across the regency.
In a statement, Liberation Army Commander Ekianus Kogeya said if the ultimatum was not complied with, there would be another attack.
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2) No military operation in Nduga district: Papua police chief
Reporter: Antara 3 hours ago
Jayapura, Papua, (ANTARA News) - Chief of the Papua Provincial Police, Inspector General Martuani Sormin, has stated there is no military operation in conflict-plagued Nduga district, Papua province.
Only law enforcement operation code-named "operasi Nemangkawi" is currently being conducted in the district, he said here on Friday.
The "operasi Nemangkawi" was launched after an armed criminal group shot dead civilians in Nduga, he said.
Therefore, he asked local residents not to take refuge and believe in hoaxes.
The security agencies will continue to conduct law enforcement operations in the district because the armed criminal group attacked not only civilians but also security personnel. As a result, construction projects in the district were disrupted, he said.
Asked about the residents who have fled their homes, he said their number could not be known exactly because the security personnel were denied access to meet them.
"Right now, military and police personnel are not allowed to meet the so-called refugee community," he said.
Last year, the armed criminal group led by Egianus Kogoya shot dead and murdered tens of civilians in several parts of Nduga district including employees of construction firm PT Istaka Karya.
Reporting by Evarukdijati
Editing by Suharto
Only law enforcement operation code-named "operasi Nemangkawi" is currently being conducted in the district, he said here on Friday.
The "operasi Nemangkawi" was launched after an armed criminal group shot dead civilians in Nduga, he said.
Therefore, he asked local residents not to take refuge and believe in hoaxes.
The security agencies will continue to conduct law enforcement operations in the district because the armed criminal group attacked not only civilians but also security personnel. As a result, construction projects in the district were disrupted, he said.
Asked about the residents who have fled their homes, he said their number could not be known exactly because the security personnel were denied access to meet them.
"Right now, military and police personnel are not allowed to meet the so-called refugee community," he said.
Last year, the armed criminal group led by Egianus Kogoya shot dead and murdered tens of civilians in several parts of Nduga district including employees of construction firm PT Istaka Karya.
Reporting by Evarukdijati
Editing by Suharto
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3) Freeport divestment through IPO only benefits wealthy businessmen
Published 15 hours ago on 1 March 2019
By pr9c6tr3_jube
Jayapura, Jubi – A statement by the former Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said to suggest IPO mechanism to be used in divestment scheme of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is not right conduct.
A researcher from Alpha Research Database and author of ‘Freeport: Bisnis Orang Kuat Vs Kedaulatan Negara’ Ferdy Hasiman said IPO mechanism has never recommended by Law No.4/2009 on Mineral and Coal.
“If Freeport shares released through IPO mechanism in the capital market, it can only benefit rich businessmen, while the capital market players are only 0.6% of the Indonesian population. And also, many investors who buy shares in the capital market are foreign investors. That’s why if a crisis hits Indonesia, there might be a massive capital outflow,” said Ferdy.
Furthermore, he continued that through IPO mechanism, Freeport shares would be a target of local wealthy businessmen and politicians. For instance, he said, the release of Garuda Indonesia shares. In this case, former Treasurer of Democrat Party M. Nazarudin bought 400 million shares or equal with IDR 300 billion through his five companies, while a prominent businessman bought 351.6 million shares (10% of GIA shares) after gaining a loan from Credit Suisse.
“This fact showed that the divestment option through IPO for PTFI is not a smart solution, but an instant one,” said Ferdy.
Moreover, when he was a minister, Sudirman Said seemed not able to provide a better solution compared to his predecessors in divesting mine shares. Therefore, Freeport IPO would be a mining landfill of some politicians and business groups for corruption and collusion practices. Besides this, Sudirman also responded to the contract extension and the construction of smelter.
Regarding Freeport’s contract extension to 2041, this is a business decision. Without this, Freeport would not invest in the underground mine which valued up to US$17 billion and the construction of smelter would not be started.
“So, the political reasoning would never able to understand why the government should extend the contract until 2041. The corporate mechanism taken by the government to take over Freeport shares is the most elegant move” said Ferdy.
“Sudirman might try asking the investors who want to build a copper smelter of US$2.3 billion values if their permit is not going to extend? How could they think reversely: build the smelter then extend the contract later. No wonder if negotiation related to its divestment with Freeport were not working,” explained Ferdy.
The Government of Indonesia through its holding company Inalum now officially holds 51.23% of Freeport shares at the end of the last year. The government then issued a Special Mining Business License (IUPK) with some notes that the Freeport’s contract would extend up to 2041, it’s obliged to build a copper smelter and the government guarantee the certainty of fiscal and investment for Freeport.
The government’s decision to extend the contract until 2041 might consider right because Inalum still requires Freeport to manage the high-tech and sophisticated infrastructure of the underground mine. The block caving method used in Grasberg’s underground mine for some mining geologists is indeed high risk and require considerable investment funds.
Many world-class geologists even said that the underground mine operation in Grasberg could not stop. If it does, it might raise the ground voltage that possibly causes the tunnel to collapse. That’s why Freeport has to build thousands of kilometres underground tunnels. If the underground mine not operates, it might cause a massive loss of up to US$5-10 billion. (NAD)
Reporter: Victor Mambor
Editor: Pipit Maizier
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