Freeport employees, wives demand security

With armed attacks targeting PT Freeport Indonesia remaining unabated, hundreds of the US-based gold mine employees and their wives rallied outside the Mimika regional legislative council on Monday morning to demand security at their workplace.
 
The women unfurled banners to express their worries about the safety of their husbands and to urge security authorities to address the issue as soon as possible.
 
The Freeport employees said they would not resume work at the company’s mine in Tembagapura unless their demand for a guarantee of safety was met.
 
Dozens of police officers were seen on guard at the legislative building and asked the crowd to wait for the hearing with the councilors, which has been scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. local time.
 
Deputy Mimika Police chief Comr. Jeremias Rontini said the rally was illegal as the people had failed to notify the police 24 hours beforehand. The police did not disperse the crowd after the councilors agreed to receive them.