Jakarta – A University of Indonesia sociologist said the indigenous Papuan people should not be blamed in the clash that occurred in the mining area of giant US-based mining company PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika on Tuesday.

"We should not put the blame (for the incident) on the indigenous people but on PT Freeport Indonesia, the central and provincial governments who have not given enough attention to the fate of those people," Thamrin Amal Tamagola said on Thursday.

He said the incident was the culmination of their annoyance about the mining company that had shown an unfriendly attitude towards the local people by using military and Police Mobile Brigade personnel to guard its premises.

"The local people also want to enjoy the benefits derived from the exploitation of Papua's natural resources," he said.

He suggested that PT Freeport change its way of thinking and pursue a more friendly approach to the local people. "It should also stop using military and police personnel against the local people," he added.

Previously, it was reported that security personnel of the company and Police Mobile Brigade members clashed with illegal miners at Mile 71 in Tembaga Pura, Mimika district, Papua on Tuesday afternoon. Five people, including two company security guards, were injured.

The incident began when company security guards asked the illegal miners to stop their activity in the area of the company. The illegal miners responded by throwing stones and blowing arrows at the company security personnel.

All the injured people are now being treated at the Tembaga Pura Hospital.

Meanwhile the company ceased its operation following the closing of the road at Mile 72, 74 by the government. "We can not give any confirmation on when we will resume our operations," a company spokesman, Sidharta Mursid, told Antara News in Irian Jaya on Thursday.

On the total loss of the ceased-operations he said the company could not confirm the amount of the loss.