ICW Finds More Freeport Money Transfers to Police

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) has discovered transfers of US$79.1 million from PT Freeport Indonesia to the police, a spokesman said.

"Based on its financial reports from 2001 to 2010, PT Freeport has cumulatively paid US$79.1 million to Indonesian security authorities," ICW coordinator for monitoring and analysis Firdaus Ilyas said at a press conference at the ICW Secretariat here on Tuesday.

He said the finding confirmed what the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) had discovered earlier. Kontras discovered the transfer of US$14 million to the police. Kontras deputy coordinator Indria Fernida said "to us it demonstrates that a case of sheer institutionalized gratification has occurred."

Indria said the question that now needed to be raised was why the police never made a budget proposal for security operations in Papua to the House of Representatives (DPR).

"I think we all know that funds for operations by public officials must be put in the national budget. If the military (TNI) or the police felt they were short of funds (for operations in Papua) they should have told the DPR so that the House could allocate the needed additional security funds based on the budget available and make it a priority."

"It is therefore not surprising that the TNI and the police now side with the company because it is the company that had been paying them."

The press conference was also attended by a representative of the Papua Traditional Community, Dorus Wakum, who expressed hope that the national police chief or the TNI commander would not deceive the Papuan people by denying that security forces in the field had used violance against Papuan civilians because they were on PT Freeport’s payroll.

"Why did the President not take a quick decision and pay attention to the demand of Freeport workers. Do not let the Freeport case develop into problem involving all traditional communities in Papua," Dorus said.

PT Freeport workers and traditional community members have staged protests at locations around the company’s mining areas. Because of that they have received intimidation and threats from the local police.

"Do not send troops to Papua. Better send houses, buildings and bridges to Papua. That is what we are hoping not troops to kill us in exchange for the US$79.1 million."