Customary Institutions in Papua Ask Jokowi to Not Close Freeport

Customary Institutions in Papua Ask Jokowi to Not Close Freeport

The Kamoro Tribal Customary Society (Lemasko) asked the central government not to temporarily close PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lemasko Chairman Gergorius Okoare said, if PTFI was closed, it would have a major impact on the community's economy, specifically in Mimika. In addition, Mimika Regency Government and the Papua Provincial Government must pay attention to the fate of thousands of employees and their families if PTFI is closed, even if temporarily.

"If Freeport is closed, have the regional and provincial governments already prepared a large budget to pay attention to the thousands of employees who are down and not working?" said Gergorius, in a press statement in Timika, Thursday (05/14/2020) afternoon.

Gergorius said, despite an increase in the number of positive cases of Covid-19 in the area of ​​the company, PTFI management continued to strengthen the health protection system. That is, by increasing the number of rapid tests and increasing the capacity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) examination, the number of medical personnel, and increasing the amount of isolation accommodation to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

That way, Lemasko, a Kamoro Tribe institution that inhabits Mimika Regency, hopes that President Joko Widodo will consider proposals from the Mimika Regency Government to temporarily close PTFI.

"We hope that Freeport will not be closed," said Gergorius.