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strong>Jan. 30, p8

This refers to '€œMiners oppose duties, plan legal fights,'€ (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 24, p1).

I hope that the Indonesian government will stick to the stipulations as outlined in the Mining Law and will dare to challenge these two multinational mining companies (Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and Newmont Mining Corp.) on their threats to sue the government of Indonesia at an international arbitration body.

Enough time for preparation had been given for them to construct their domestic processing factories prior to the Mining Law coming
into force, but they just missed this golden opportunity by trying to play under-the-table negotiations with related government officials, hoping that the law would be amended or postponed in accordance with their self-interest. (By Alue Dohong, Central Kalimantan)

Your comments:

Even if the state owned those companies, the money is not going back to the people '€” only to corrupt officials.

Show me one example where the money has actually gone back to benefit local communities.

Caffrey

It is way past time that all governments wake up to the activities of multinational miners.

Clearly, the resources of a country belong to the people of that country and should be mined on behalf of the people by the people'€™s elected government and not for the profit of foreign-owned entities.

Barry Swain

It'€™s not just about Freeport and Newmont. They just mine gold and copper.

Think about the hundreds of nickel, iron, iron sand, bauxite and other mines, some of which produce 30,000 million tons per month; and they'€™re all expected to build smelters?

Malam

Go Indonesia! Don'€™t let these giant mining companies rip the country off. Enough is enough.

Van Man

So, why doesn'€™t the Indonesian government or Indonesian companies invest the necessary money and know-how into building smelters in Indonesia?

Why ask foreigners to do it? Do you think foreign companies are really willing to invest huge sums of money to build smelters in Indonesia, just to be sidelined 10 years later when the smelters start to be profitable?

Investors invest to make a profit. Mining companies invest money and know-how, which represents knowledge accumulated over many years.

Without this money and knowledge, major mining projects would not be feasible.

If the expected ratio of investment to profit diminishes for companies initially willing to invest in Indonesia, they will look at alternative possibilities.

They will redirect their investment to other countries.

Sabar

We need some serious investment in education so that future generations won'€™t need foreign mining companies like Freeport and Newmont.

Deedee S