It is better to lose Freeport than Papua: Rieke Dyah Pitaloka
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 11/24/2011 5:24 PM
Lawmaker-cum celebrity Rieke Dyah Pitaloka expressed
scathing criticism relating to the ongoing dispute between the management of mining
giant PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) and their employees.
“We must choose to lose Papua or Freeport if things continue like this,” she
told reporters at a press conference at the House of Representatives’ office on
Thursday.
She said it was better to lose PTFI than Papua because Papua
had become part of Indonesia.
Rieke said she urged all security forces in Papua to
immediately put a stop to the violence that was still ccurring.
Around 8,000 of PTFI’s 23,000 workers have been on strike
for more than two months in Papua, demanding wage increases and better working
conditions.
