Urgent Action: Shooting at Aurora Gold's Minesite in Kalimantan, Indonesia - 22nd January 2002

Urgent Action: Shooting at Aurora Gold's Minesite in Kalimantan, Indonesia - 22nd January 2002

Human rights violations sadly continue at the Australian miner Aurora Gold's PT Indo Muro Kencana (PT IMK) gold mine site in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The latest from the area is that another citizen has been shot by the Brimob (an elite mobile brigade force) posted as security at the PT IMK gold mine site.

Our information from the field is that on Saturday, at 11:30 am, the community held a massive action of solidarity by blockading the main PT IMK activities to the processing plant and roads that go to the PT IMK mining location. They also destroyed PT IMK operational equipment. The action was followed by approximately 2000 people demanding responsibility from PT IMK. The community made the following five important demands:

1. PT IMK resolve and be held responsible for the problems experienced by the community that have been victimized by the shooting of the Brimob/security body. PT IMK must stop their activities until these activities are eradicated;
2. The officers/Brimob discontinue to be posted at the PT IMK mine area because of their brutal actions;
3. The Police/Brimob officer must be held responsible for the shooting and be brought to justice;
4. PT IMK discontinue operations at the Murung Raya area and
5. The legal upholding body or those who have the power, uncover the cases of violence since the beginning of PT IMK operations that use Brimob as security officers that have resulted in repeated shootings that have caused victimization and in fact death. This matter is merited as a human right violation.

As more information is made available, we will keep you informed. For more background information on the case, please see the report Aurora Gold, Investing in a Community's Anguish on JATAM's website at, http://www.jatam.org/xperjuangan/imk/index.html

This matter is of urgency again as PT IMK is currently going through with mine closure plans that have begun this year and are planned to continue until 2005 with the expected date of closure of the mine. The cases of human rights violations among other issues need to be addressed before PT IMK closes.

We hope our international friends will be able to support the communities that have been victimized by this Australian gold miner. Any support via media, protest letters and other actions would be very much appreciated.

Thank you for your attention and concern on this matter.

In Solidarity,

Tracy Glynn

JATAM (Jaringan Advokasi Tambang)
Mining Advocacy Network
Jl. Mampang Prapatan II No. 30
RT 015 / RW 04 -- Jakarta 12790
INDONESIA
Tel. +62-(0)21-794 1559
Fax. +62-(0)21-791 81683
E-mail: jatam@jatam.org
http://www.jatam.org