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DTE's quarterly newsletter provides information on ecological justice in Indonesia.

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DTE publications

Down to Earth No 65  May 2005

Statement by the people of Soway, Wayuri & Simuna as the landowners of the site where the Tangguh natural gas project is being developed.

 

To the Indonesian Oil & Gas Management Body - BPMigas

We have reviewed the process and documents relating to the loss of traditional rights of the Simuna, Soway, Wayuri people in connection with the Tangguh natural gas project under development by Pertamina and BP, facilitated by the Manokwari local government in 1999.

Down to Earth No 65  May 2005

The following letter, slightly abridged here, was addressed to Lord John Browne, CEO of BP, and is dated December 8th 2004.

As individuals and organisations in West Papua and internationally who are closely following the Tangguh LNG Project in West Papua, we are writing to express our mounting concerns and to call for your immediate intervention…

…Our concerns are centred on:

  • inadequate progress on key human rights commitments
  • a worrying lack of transparency
  • a fai

Down to Earth No 65  May 2005

Status of the project

The 'final investment decision' to proceed with Tangguh came on March 7th, after many delays. The construction phase of the US$5 billion project is now expected to start in late 2005. Tangguh will be operational in 2008, with two full gas production units or 'trains' (Reuters7/Mar/05, TIAP 2004).

Down to Earth No 63  November 2004

The indigenous Amungin human rights defender, Yosepha Alomang, grew up in the shadow of the huge Freeport/Rio Tinto gold and copper mine and under Indonesian military oppression in West Papua.

Down to Earth No 62   August 2004

Community holds Newmont to account
Villagers from Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi have lodged complaints with the police over the devastating health impacts of Newmont Minahasa Raya's gold mine. At least 30 people are believed to have died as a result of the heavy metal pollution caused by the mine, which dumps tailings on the sea-bed.

Down to Earth No. 60, February 2004

With the political context worsening and militarisation in West Papua increasing, BP's commitments to human rights and its 'community-based security policy'- look more and more flimsy.

In 2003, West Papua continued to suffer the impacts of Indonesian military repression.

Down to Earth No 59 November 2003


A massive landslide at Freeport/Rio Tinto's huge Grasberg copper and gold mine in West Papua, which killed eight people and injured another five, has sparked angry protests.

The fatal accident happened early on October 9th, when part of the southern wall of the vast open-pit mine collapsed, and 2.3 million tonnes of rock and mud crashed down, engulfing mineworkers and heavy machinery.