US Ambassador Said Papua Important to US
US Ambassador Said Papua Important to US
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SENTANI - US Ambassador to Indonesia, Roberth O Blake say the region is important for the United States (US)
"The US ambassador told us that Papua is very important for his country that he thought it necessary to visit Papua," chairman of the secretariat of Justice, Peace and Totality of Creation (SKPKC) Yuliano Languwuyo said on Wednesday.
Languwuyo said Blake told him at a meeting at a restaurant in Sentani on Tuesday night that he wanted to see political situation and protection of human right in Papua.
"We told him about political developments in 2014 and 2015 and that there was no change in the protection of human rights although in mid 2014 , it was said that we would have civilian leader as we expected," he said.
However, militarism and violence continued even under a civilian leader, he said referring to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
He said to Ambassador Blake that militarism is still dominant being practiced to protect large investors like Freeport (PT Freeport Indonesia) and BP at Teluk Bintuni, Papua Barat.
"The impact of militarism at the two companies is bad on the Papuan people as the military is concerned only in the interest of the companies.
"There are many cases of violence around the mining areas of Freeport and BP," he said.
PT Freeport Indonesia is a subsidiary of the U.S. mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold having larger copper and gold mines in Papua, and the British based BP is operating a large gas reserves at Teluk Bintuni and a liquefied natural gas plant in Tangguh in that area .
Languwuyo said Blake acknowledged that he had received reports about many cases of violence in Papua.
"The ambassador asked about what we think about President Jokowi. Our answer is that Jokowi is a good man, but the military is still in control." he said.
Earlier that day, Blake also met with local religious leaders at a dinner at the same restaurant in Sentani Timur, in the regency of Jayapura.
"The US ambassador told us that Papua is very important for his country that he thought it necessary to visit Papua," chairman of the secretariat of Justice, Peace and Totality of Creation (SKPKC) Yuliano Languwuyo said on Wednesday.
Languwuyo said Blake told him at a meeting at a restaurant in Sentani on Tuesday night that he wanted to see political situation and protection of human right in Papua.
"We told him about political developments in 2014 and 2015 and that there was no change in the protection of human rights although in mid 2014 , it was said that we would have civilian leader as we expected," he said.
However, militarism and violence continued even under a civilian leader, he said referring to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
He said to Ambassador Blake that militarism is still dominant being practiced to protect large investors like Freeport (PT Freeport Indonesia) and BP at Teluk Bintuni, Papua Barat.
"The impact of militarism at the two companies is bad on the Papuan people as the military is concerned only in the interest of the companies.
"There are many cases of violence around the mining areas of Freeport and BP," he said.
PT Freeport Indonesia is a subsidiary of the U.S. mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold having larger copper and gold mines in Papua, and the British based BP is operating a large gas reserves at Teluk Bintuni and a liquefied natural gas plant in Tangguh in that area .
Languwuyo said Blake acknowledged that he had received reports about many cases of violence in Papua.
"The ambassador asked about what we think about President Jokowi. Our answer is that Jokowi is a good man, but the military is still in control." he said.
Earlier that day, Blake also met with local religious leaders at a dinner at the same restaurant in Sentani Timur, in the regency of Jayapura.
(rnz)
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