NAMOLAH

What is the Effect of Mining

towards Indigenous West
Papuans?
3/15/2012

Contents
1. Abstract..2
2. Introduction....3
3. What is the Effect of Mining towards the Natural Environment?..............3
4. Photo 2.1 Draining of mining waste through villages....3
5. What are the Positive and Negative Effects of Mining Company Employing
Indigenous West Papua?.......................................................................................4
6. Photo 3.1 Bridge in the village of Waa to Opitawak........4
7. Photo 3.2 Conflict during the strike in Freeport.......4
8. What Human Right Abuse is Indonesia Violating in West Papua?..........................5
9. How are the Lives of Indigenous West Papua near Mining areas
Impacted?.............................................................................................................5
10. Conclusion.........5
11. Reference....................................7
12. Survey Questions..8
13. Interview Questions...9

Abstract

This investigation researches the effect of mining

towards Indigenous West Papuans. Mining in West
Papua is both a source of income for the Indonesian
government, as well as the biggest source of trouble.
Primary research included a survey of 30 West
Papuan students, an interview with two lecturers at
Charles Darwin University who had worked in West
Papua, secondary research was mining journals,
articles as there is not much written in English. The findings of investigation in regard to the
environment were that the ecosystems in West Papua are being threatened by the mining
company draining waste through villages. This also causes the Indigenous people to have a
lack of good water and crops. The mining company in West Papua benefits the Indonesia
government as the biggest tax payer and developing infrastructure, as well as creating
employment. However, the discrimination between Indigenous workers and transmigrants
are creating strikes and conflict due to unequal pay. In relation to human rights, the
government and militarys acting support of the mining company as security guards and
without people haring legal processes is wrong. The private business between the
government and military has also created many social problems. Finally, the movement of
people from traditional lands and arrived of transmigrants has also destroyed many
languages, traditions and culture of the Indigenous society.

1. Introduction
Every year billions of dollars from copper and gold pour out of West Papua. At the same
time, billions of tons of copper and gold are destroying the Indigenous West Papuans
cultures and environment. This investigation will research What is the effect of mining
towards Indigenous West Papuans? The four basic aspects that are influenced by mining in
relation to Indigenous West Papuans include: the effect of mining on the natural
environment; the negative and positive effects of mining companies and employment; human
right abuses; and how the lives of near mining areas are impacted by the mining company.
The investigation will focus on the mining company, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), as it is
the second biggest mining company in the world and is a big American mining company
located in Tembagapura, West Papua. The history of the mining began with exploration in
1960, as gold had been previously discovered in Ertsberg by a Dutch geologist in 1936
(Ballard, 2001, p22-23). However, actual work only commenced after the Indonesian
government signed contracts in 1967. By 1988, PTFI had become one of the worlds largest
copper and gold mines and in 1991, the Indonesian government gave the company rights to
continue operations for another 30 years (Kyriakakis, 2005, p97-98). Previously, West Papua,
along with Indonesia, were colonised by the Dutch, however it was not until 1961, that
Indonesia launched military operations to bring West Papua to be part of Indonesia; even
though they gained independence in 1945 ( Kilvert, 1998, p1). At the time, Indonesia gave
the people the vote, by allowing out of a population of 80,000 West Papuans, 1,026 leaders
they had handpicked to vote in order to ensure integration with Indonesia (Kilvert, 1998, p1).
2. What is the Effect of Mining towards the Natural Environment?
The effect of mining towards the natural environment has many aspects. Firstly, West
Papuas forests are very rich in biodiversity.
Forested area in West Papua is approximately 34.6
million hectares or 24 per cent of Indonesias
forested area. Unlike in the past, the lands in West
Papua today are not being actively used for
traditional agriculture, industry or housing because
under Indonesian law, a lot of land has become state
property (Australia West Papua Association, 2012,
p3) While there are a lot of other things that also
effect the natural environment in West Papua,
2.1 Photo of Draining mining waste
including logging, forest fires, clearing for
through Waa village, Tembagapura, residential and so on, the major causes of the
West Papua, Omaleng, 2012.
destruction of land is the mining company. There
are terrible environmental impacts because of the
huge amounts of water contamination, especially in the city of Timika, which is near the
mine. For example, the company is draining the mining waste into the rivers near the villages
which causes the death of animals, plants and the loss of fresh water (Paul, 2012). Mining
also causes pollution of the land, rivers and animals. There are also no environment controls
by the company on the government (Paul, 2012).
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3. What are the Positive and Negative Effects of Mining Company Employing
Indigenous West Papua?
There are positive and negative effects of mining companies employing Indigenous West
Papuans. Positive things that mining company provides for the government of Indonesia, they
are biggest tax payer and benefits are paid in the form of dividends, royalties and the taxes,
which reached $6-8 billion (PT Freeport Indonesia,
2009, p1). PTFI also gives direct benefits to people
through the payment of wages, salaries and benefits,
as well as for the country, through domestic
investment, purchase of goods and services, and
regional development (PT Freeport Indonesia, 2009,
p1). For example, many Indigenous West Papuans
work for the company and the company provides
education scholarships. In addition, the Indigenous
people benefit from the building of houses, roads and
3.1 Photo of a bridge in village of
bridges. Unfortunately, not all Indigenous West
Waa to Opitawak, Tembagapura,
Papuans are able to access the benefits of
West Papua. Omaleng, 2012
employment or the children having the opportunity to
get an education in Darwin, Australia. (Logan, 2012)
There are also many negative effects caused by this mining company. For example, there are
big differences in salaries, as the company only
employs all the Indigenous at low levels, so although
they work hard; they never get enough money,
whereas the foreign worker and the migrants are
getting very high levels of employment and income
(Paul, 2012). This results in strikes most years, with
the workers demanding higher wages and their land
rights. (Australia West Papua Association (Sydney),
2012). Another negative impact is that many
Indigenous West Papuans feel like second class 3.2.Photo of Conflict during the
citizens, as many do not have high ranking positions strike at Freeport's Indonesia
Grasberg mine, Jazeera, Dec
in the company (Logan, 2012).
2011

4. What Human Right Abuse is Indonesia Violating in West Papua?

Many studies of the mining during the 1970s and today are critical of the unequal
relationship between transnational mining corporations and developing nation states. This
includes local conflict between mining management and labour; and the social and
environmental impacts of mining on the local community (Australia West Papua Association,
2012, pp1-3). The Indonesia government and army deny the existence or knowledge of
human rights violations, despite numerous incidents in the mining areas of West Papua. For
example, in 2006, when Indigenous people had uprisings against the company, they suffered
brutal reprisals by the Indonesian military; 43 West Papuans escaped to Australia and were
granted refugee status as they claimed about 10 per cent of the population had been killed by
the Indonesian military. Wanggai, the leader of the refugees, said and if they were caught by
the Indonesian military, ...they would kill them like animals just like the others (Pilger,
2006, p26). Paul (2012) also said, there is actually invisible business that has been going on
between the army and the management of this company, meaning the military act as police
or security guards for the company and are often involved in violence against local people
with no legal charges or defence allowed to whoever protests against work conditions.
5. How are the Lives of Indigenous West Papua near Mining areas Impacted?
Many things have changed in the lives of Indigenous West Papuan people because of mining.
Traditional Indigenous life around the mining company is endangered these days due to new
types of employment and businesses, the introduction of new languages and the breakdown
of traditional society structures. For example, the Indonesian army owns businesses selling
alcohol around the villages, which causes many troubles. The society has suffered more
occurrences of rape, murder and war between villages or different families either under the
influence of alcohol or because of jealousies to do with the land compensation and
employment (John, 2006, p26-27). Their society has also been affected by transmigration as
many migrants are coming from Indonesia because of the mining company, which has an
impact on the local Indigenous languages and customs. In addition, the mining company is
forced removal of Amungme people to live in another place due to the amount of land
required to mine. Meant many were forced to live in the lowland-waa, Timika and other
places. Within one month, 12 people had died from malaria (Kilvert, 1998, p2). However,
traditional life continues for those Indigenous who are able to live in highland areas as they
can support themselves with traditional employment in agriculture.

6. Conclusion
The overwhelming findings from this investigation were that mining has a negative effect on
Indigenous West Papuans. In regard to land, 24% of land in West Papua is forests; so its
ecosystems are threatened and sometimes destroyed by the mining companies. The draining
of mining waste in the villages causes air, land and water pollution and directly impacts the
Indigenous peoples access to good water, the health of people and their crops. While the
positive effects of mining are more jobs available, high taxes for Indonesias government, the
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development of infrastructure and more education opportunities, traditional employment in

agriculture has decreased. The discrimination between the levels of employment of
Indigenous workers and transmigrants creates strikes and conflicts due to unequal pay. In
regard to human rights, the Indonesian government and military support of the mining
company and acting as security guards without legal processes is wrong. The government and
military also continue to profit by private businesses which have created many social
problems through the sale of alcohol. Finally, the transmigrants arriving in large numbers,
along with movement of people from traditional lands, has also destroyed many languages,
traditions and culture of the Indigenous society. Their lives are totally changed.

References
Secondary Sources

McWilliams, Edmund. Death in Freeport. Arena Magazine vol 101, Aug-Sept 2009.
http://search.informit.com.au.www.ntlezp.nt.gov.au/fullText;dn=200910300;res=APA
FT

Kyriakakis, Joanna. Freeport in West Papua: bringing corporations to account for

International human rights abuses under Australian criminal and tort law. Monash
University
Law
Review,
v.31,
no.1,
2005.
http://search.informit.com.au.www.ntlezp.nt.gov.au/fullText;dn=200802266;res=APA
FT

Kilvert, Andrew. Golden Promises. New Internationalist, Issue 305, Sep98.

http://web.ebscohost.com.www.ntlezp.nt.gov.au/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=14&sid=852
c80b6-7ac5-4020-aa420c1fa54c27ce%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1z
aXRl#db=f5h&AN=1149680

Ballard, Christ. Human Rights and the Mining Sector in Indonesia: A Baseline
Study. The Australian National University Canberra, Australia, No.182, 2001.

PT FREEPORT INDONESIA. Freeport Peduli Agenda 2009. www.ptfi.co.id or

www.fcx.com,

Australia West Papua Association, Sydney, West Papua Information Kit,

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/`cline/papua/mines.htm, accessed 5/2/12.

Pilger, John. GHOST OF INDONESIA WONT LIE. Newstatesman, 13 March

2006.

Survey

Survey, 2012 February.

Survey Questions

1. Age : _______________________________________________________________________
2. Gender: ____________________________________________________________________
3. Where are you come from? ____________________________________________________
Please circle the appropriate answer in the following questions!
4. Do you have a mining company in your place?

a) Yes
b) No
5. What are the effects of mining towards the environment?
a) Pollution of land
b)

Pollution of rivers

c) Pollution of animals
d) All above
6. What are the positive effects of the mining company employing the indigenous?
a) The indigenous are all completely getting a job
b) Building houses for the indigenous
c) Roads and bridges for the indigenous
7. What are the negative effects of the mining company employing the indigenous?
a) There are difference of salary for the indigenous
b) Racism within workers
c) Treat as a slave
d) Strike

8. How could these negative effects occur?

a) Demanding land rights
b) Demanding higher wages
c) Jealousy
d) Other (s)______________________________________________________________
9. Is there any violence that happens because of the mining company?
a) Yes, there are many violence
b) No there is not

10. If yes, what kind of the violence that happens?

a) Murders
b) Torture
c) Others_______________________________________________________________
11. Who does the violence?
a) The mining company
b) The government
c) The army
d) Others___________________________________________________________

Interview Questions
Name: ______________________________

Current Position:
Company:

_______________________

Charles Darwin University

Role / Position in West Papua ______________________________________________________

Length of time in Papua:

_______________________________________________________

1. What are the effects of mining towards the environment in West Papua?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the positive effects of the mining company employing the Indigenous West Papuan
people?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the negative effects of the mining company employing the Indigenous West Papuan
people?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. Is there discrimination between groups of people employed within mines or given employment?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

5. Are there any problem or violence that happens because of the mining company? Do you have
any examples / experiences?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
6. What social problems does mining bring to the Indigenous community?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
7. How are the lives of Indigenous West Papuans impacted by the mining in relation to their
traditions and cultures?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
8. What are the positive effects of mining for the community that help people to develop and
advance the Indigenous people?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
9. What role does the Indonesian government or military play in relation to the mining in West
Papua?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
10 How could mining be improved to protect the Indigenous West Papuan people?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

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