Jakarta – Following the deadly anti-Freeport riot in Papua last week, at least two more serious incidents targeting foreign companies have taken place in different areas of the country.
On Sunday, protesters burned Newmont's exploration camp on Sumbawa island in West Nusa Tenggara. No one was injured in the attack, located about 60 kilometers from the company's US$2 billion Batu Hijau copper-gold mine operation.
PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara's spokesperson, Nunik Maulana, said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Sunday that the company condemned the irresponsible and unlawful violence.
The company has decided to close the camp and suspend exploration activities in the area. They were able to evacuate all personnel earlier Saturday after serious threats.
She said late Saturday, some 50 people came to the area with gasoline and threatened to burn down the camp. "There was no demands brought by this group for discussion with the company. On Sunday, the group set fire to the camp," Nunik said.
"The company is disappointed that the illegal act by this small group of people has caused the larger community to suffer, because many people will now lose their jobs and businesses."
Sumbawa Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdul Hakim Munsyarif said Sunday that officers had been deployed to the site, some eight hours drive from the regency capital town Taliwang. Others were airlifted in.
The police officers, Munsyarif said, would hunt the attackers down and already have the identities of 19 people allegedly responsible for the attack.
Separately, in Central Java on Sunday, police blocked at least 1,500 protesters from the Islamic Youth Struggle Committee (KPPI) of Surakarta as they were on their way to the Cepu oil block in Blora regency to protest against US oil giant ExxonMobil Corp., which recently agreed to terms with the government on the management of the block.
The officers told them that they had not secured the proper documents for the protest march.
The protesters, who were planning to pass through several cities before reaching Blora, set up tents in front of Boyolali Police station, while waiting for confirmation to proceed. Some of the protesters were planning to go ahead Monday with the protest, regardless of permission.
"Other KPPI members from other areas that will take part in the protest will not move until we're allowed to proceed," Kholid said. The planned protest received support from legislator Catur Sapto Edy, who claimed it was evidence of the people's disappointment over the government's decision to allow a foreign company to operate the oil block. "The Cepu block is ours and we have the right to manage it. It doesn't need advanced technology, and we can do it on our own," Catur told Antara.
Sunday's unrest is the latest in a series of problems besetting foreign multinationals. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., which runs the world's biggest gold mine, located in Papua, suspended operations for three days in February after protesters blocked the main road leading to the site.
Protests against Freeport escalated with Thursday's clash between riot police and Papuans in Abepura, in which four security officers were beaten to death.