Police to Investigate Case Vandalizing Freeport Office

Timika, Papua - Deputy Papua police chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said police would investigate case vandalizing the office of U.S. copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia in Kuala Kencana, Papua province last Friday. "The law must be upheld. Suspects will be brought to justice," Paulus said here on Sunday. The Mimika district police will take over investigations in coordination with PT Freeport, he said here on Sunday. The incident occurred on Friday when a group of local people demanded that local workers employed by the company be given a promotion. The situation began out of control when some of the protesters began to throw stone at the office and set fire on two cars. Paulus said the protesters are friends of a company's local staff David Beanal, who died of a disease on Tuesday at the Bintaro International Hospital in Tangerang, Banten. The body of David, who held the post as a manager in charge of the Papuan Affairs Department, was flown to Timika on Wednesday to be buried in his home town. The protesters demanded that a local people be named to replace David Beanal. Mimika district police chief Adj. Sr. Comr Denni Edward Siregar said police are questioning witnesses. So far the company has not reported losses caused by the incident, Denni said, adding, "we would follow the procedure in handling this case."(*)