REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAYAPURA -- The Regional Legislative Assembly of Papua (DPRD) urged PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) to immediately pay outstanding surface water tax amounting to Rp2 trillion that it owes since 1991. "PT Freeport should immediately pay all outstanding surface water tax to the Papua Regional Government, as a result of its failed lawsuit that was filed lawsuit against DPRD at the tax court in Jakarta," DPRD Chairman Yunus Wonda said on Friday.

The Jakarta Tax Court rejected the lawsuit of PT Freeport, therefore the mining company should pay the tax soon, said Wonda. He explained that the Jakarta Tax Court on January 18 rejected the lawsuit filed by PT Freeport Indonesia, after they objected to paying surface water tax to the local government of Papua.

The DPRD chairman also claimed that the rejection of the lawsuit by the court was a major victory for the Papua Provincial Government. PT Freeport should give the people of Papua what rightfully belongs to them as the US-based mining company had benefited financially from its operations in Papua, according to Wonda.

The DPRD chairman also asked the company to not appeal against the ruling in a higher court, in order to show good will to the people of Papua. "There is no need for PT Freeport to appeal to the higher court. It previously sought legal certainty, but the tax court ruling in favor of the Papua government already constitutes legal certainty. PT Freeport will not show good will towards the people of Papua if it makes an appeal," he said.

The Assistant II of the Regional Government Secretariat of Papua, Elya Loupatty, asked PT Freeport to accept the Jakarta court decision in order to improve its relations with the local people of Papua.

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