Jakarta – Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) has urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate reported millions of US dollars of grants from gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia to the National Police.

Freeport has reportedly admitted to donating US$14 million to police every four months. National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said the funds were used to feed police officers in Papua, where Freeport's mine is situated.

IPW said the funds could be a form of bribery, meaning both the recipients and the donors could be subject to legal proceedings.

"Not only the [police] officers, but also Freeport officials [found guilty of the bribery] should be brought to a corruption court," IPW chairman Neta S. Pane said Sunday in a press statement sent to tribunnews.com.

Neta said the move was necessary, given the escalating security situation in Papua, where about a dozen had been killed in violent conflicts that had broke out over the past month, including between police officers and Freeport workers during the latter's protest for pay rise.