Jakarta – Dozens of students grouped under the Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) in Bali protested on Monday in front of the United States Consulate General on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Denpasar.

They expressed their rejection of the presence of gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia in Papua. Before the protests, they marched from the east parking area of Renon.

The students carried handouts that read "Freeport has to rehabilitate environmental damage", "Freeport came, human nature in Papua lost", "let us make our own choices".

The leader of the protest, Gidion Logo, said in 51 years, Freeport had not given any real benefit to the community in Papua.

AMP coordinator Nipson Murib said the protest only aimed to fight for the fate of the people and the land of Papua.

"When Freeport came, they destroyed our natural resources. We lived off the land through farming, not gold mining," Murib said as quoted by kompas.com

He said local communities faced intimidation in Papua. The rally ran peacefully under police escort. (dis/wit)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/03/20/papuan-students-in-bali-protest-against-freeport.html