Freeport Incident Must Be Settled: Hatta

Jakarta - Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa hoped that Monday's incident at PT Freeport would not escalate and a solution would be found so that the problem would be settled. "I hope Freeport would settle it well negotiation with workers. The solution, namely win-win solution, should be found," the coordinating minister for economic affairs said here on Monday. Hatta said that if the problem protracted it would cause losses to the company, workers and the country as a whole. "If not settled well it would cause more losses to the company, workers and Indonesia," the minister said. Hatta said said he had not yet received complete report on the incident but expressed hope that all sides would find solutions. "I don't need to go too far to look at the problem because I don't receive complete information, yet, no matter what kind of incident it is, the best solution should be found," he said. PT Freeport workers and police clashed on Monday when one employee of the firm was fatally shot. The fatality was identified as 36-year old underground mining worker Petrus Ayamseba who was among thousands of other PT Freeport workers rallying at Tmikia's Gorong-Gorong terminal. A number of the demonstrating workers and police officers were injured in the clash between gun-shooting police and rock-throwing demonstrators. The incident happened after thousands of Freeport employees along with their spouses and children had marched from the All Indonesia Labor Union (SPSI) office at Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan Timika Indah to Gorong-gorong Terminal. The employee group asks the management to temporarily stop its operation until the strike case is solved and demand for employee salary increase met. Demand for temporary suspension of PT Freeport operations is contained in one of the Papuan People's Representative Council (DPRP) and the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) recommendation letter at a meeting in Jayapura on Friday (Oct 7).