Freeport resumes operations in Papua

According to Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh, mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia has resumed operations today following a earlier reports that it wanted to halt production due to security concerns.

“We received information that Freeport has resumed 50 percent of its production,” Darwin said at a press conference at his office on Tuesday.

On Monday, Freeport Indonesia vice president Nurhadi Sabirin stated through a conference call from Papua that the company’s pipeline had been cut and therefore could no longer send ore concentrate to its port for processing.

He added that the company was facing security concerns following a fatal clash on Oct. 10 between security officers and Freeport workers who went on strike to demand a salary increase.

”The deadly attack involving Freeport’s security last week also contributed to the decision to halt production,” Nurhadi said.

Darwin said he was sure the company, working in cooperation with the police, would be able to restore order.

"Let’s be optimistic," he said, without commenting on investigations into the shooting of a demonstrator at an earlier rally, or whether the company would accommodate its striking workers' salary demands. (rcf)