FREEPORT
Indonesia has been forced to reveal it paid more than $US11million
($18.5 million) to the Indonesian army over the past two years for
security at its operations in strife-torn West Papua.
It is the first time the mining giant has admitted the full extent
of the military's involvement in the controversial gold and copper
mine.
US shareholders in the parent
company Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc demanded a full
report on the Indonesian military's involvement in the Freeport
operations in West Papua.
"Transnational corporations
operating in countries with repressive governments, ethnic
conflict, weak rule of law, endemic corruption or poor labour and
environmental standards face serious risks to their reputation and
share value if they are seen to be responsible for, or complicit
in, human rights violations," the shareholders' resolution
reads.
The shareholders, including a
teachers' union, were concerned about reports of human rights
abuses by the military in Indonesia, especially in West Papua.
